Carolyn Little
Swansea
Carolyn Little was born in Swansea in 1943 but grew up in Haverfordwest. She studied at Swansea College of Art from 1962 until 1966, then taught Art in secondary schools in London and Swansea until 1990 when she gave up full- time teaching to become a part-time adult education lecturer for the University of Wales Swansea for some years and to concentrate on painting. She has been exhibiting her work regularly for the last thirty years.
"My work is to an extent abstract in that it does not necessarily represent anything in its final stage but the ideas come from various sources. Each painting starts because I have seen some thing or place that I have found visually interesting in some way. Perhaps an old piece of rusting machinery, a decaying tree trunk, full of distinctive shapes and exciting textures, an overgrown garden, some complex rock strata on a beach, the debris in derelict factory or the twisted metal of vehicles in a scrapyard, but these I use merely as basic shapes, not as reference. The pictures themselves evolve as the colours are added and begin to relate to each other. What they eventually become often takes a long time to reach with many re-visitngs before they are finished, and I have no idea when I start as to how they will end. My chief interest is colour and I am attracted to bright colours, so I am constantly trying to balance one strong colour with another, and I am constantly trying to intensify that brightness. I usually make square paintings because I like the discipline of having to fit my conception in to a uniform space. I always work on board as I prefer the hardness and stiffness of it and the capability of creating a very smooth surface to work on.
Essentially, my work is not based upon any literal vision or intention. I have no agenda, no political axe to grind and no sociological statement to make with it. It carries no hidden messages but exists in its own visual sphere and must be seen and interpreted as the viewer chooses to see it."
Public and private collections
Great Britain, France, Australia and Africa.
Solo exhibitions: 2000 - 'Interpretations- paintings and drawings', Heritage Park Gallery, Rhondda; 1977 - '25 Paintings', Arts South Exhibition Gallery, University College Swansea. Joint Shows: Reflection - Joint exhibition with Elizabeth Barratt, Cynon Valley Museum & Art Gallery, Aberdare 2006 Group exhibitions : Attic Gallery, Swansea since 1999, Open exhibitions - Women's Arts Association, Art Central Gallery, Barry 2011 -2014, 2011 - Open exhibition, Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff 2011 - - Welsh Artist of the Year exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 2010 - Open exhibition, Art Central Gallery, Barry 2007 - 'Movement' Open Exhibition, Senedd, National Asembly for Wales, Cardiff 2007 - Open Exhibition, Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff 2007 - Open Exhibition, Women's Arts Association, Town Hall, Barry 2006 - - 'Through the LookingGlass' Open Exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 2006 - 'Viginti' Open Exhibition, Senedd, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay 2006 - Welsh Artist of the Year Exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 2005 - Women's Arts Association Exhibition, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay 2004 - 'A Healthier Tomorrow No 2' - charity auction, St David's Hall, Cardiff 2004 - Open Exhibition, Womens' Arts Association, Temple of Peace, Cardiff 2004 - Summer Exhibition, Celf Cambria Arts, Tregaron 2003 - 'Dreams : Past Present & Future', Barker Gallery, Pontypool Museum 2003 - 'Dreams', Permanent Waves Open Art Exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 2003 - Selected Artists, Oriel Ffynnon, Llandeilo 2002 - 40th Anniversary Exhibition, Attic Gallery, Swansea 2002 - Visible II Open Exhibition, Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran 2002 - Welsh Artist of the Year Exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 2001 - 'Visible', Women's Arts Festival, St David's Hall, Cardiff 2001 - Welsh Artist of the Year Exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 2001 - welshdrawings.com exhibition, Heritage Park Gallery, Rhondda 2000 - 'A Healthier Tomorrow' - charity exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 2000 - Kosovo Childrens' Charity : Rise Phoenix - auction of small works at Saatchi and Saatchi 2000 - Millennium Waves, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff 1999 - Permanent Waves Members Exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 1999 - Swansea Open Exhibition, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea 1999 - The Swansea Group, Fishguard Library Gallery, Fishguard 1999 - Wales Drawing Biennale, touring 1998 - 'Artists in Arms' (Red Cross), Cardiff. Edinburgh & London 1998 - First Swansea Open Exhibition, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea 1998 - 'Man, Heaven's Masterpiece', Museum of Modern Art, Machynlleth 1998 - NSPCC Art Auction, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea 1998 - Permanent Waves Members Exhibition, Washington Gallery, Penarth 1998 - The Swansea Group, Museum of Modern Art, Machynlleth 1998 - The Swansea Group, Waterstones, Swansea 1997 - Permanent Waves Christmas Exhibition, West Canal Wharf, Cardiff 1997 - Pontardawe Festival Art Awards Exhibition (since 1995) 1997 - 'Something Rich and Strange', Museum of Modern Art, Machynlleth 1997 - Women's Arts Festival Open Art Exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 1996 - Summer Exhibition, New Gallery, Mumbles 1996 - 'Sun of Summer', Museum of Modern Art, Machynlleth 1996 - Wales Open Art Exhibition, Aberystwyth Arts Centre (annually since 1990) 1996 - Watercolour Society of Wales Open Exhibition, St David's Hall, Cardiff 1995 - 'Enchanted Woods', Museum of Modern Art, Machynlleth 1995 - 'Femail' Postcard Design Exhibition and Auction, Women's Arts Festival, Cardiff 1995 - The Laing Art Competion, Old Library Gallery, Cardiff 1994 - 'The Sea, The Sea!', Museum of Modem Art, Machynlleth 1994 - Women's Arts Festival Open Art Exhibition, Old Library Gallery, Cardiff 1993 - 'Swansea Through Artists' Eyes', Ceri Richards Gallery, University College Swansea 1992 - Circle Gallery, Pontypridd 1991 - CISWO National Art Competition, Blackpool 1989 - West Wharf Gallery, Cardiff 1989 - NSPCC Art Auction Exhibition, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea 1987 - The Six Six Show, Apostrophe, Mumbles 1984 - The Gallery, Richard Beere Interiors, Cardiff 1984 - Royal National Eisteddfod 1982 - Christmas Exhibition, Festival Gallery, Bath 1982 - Mid Wales Open Art Exhibition, Aberystwyth Arts Centre 1982 - Welsh Arts Council Christmas Exhibition, Oriel, Cardiff 1981 - St David's Festival Open Art Exhibition, Pembrokeshire
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