Welsh Landscape late 1930s (?)
John Elwyn (1916–1997)
University of South Wales Art Collection Museum
Painter, printmaker, book illustrator and teacher, born in Newcastle Emlyn, South Cardiganshire, his real name being William John Elwyn Davies (early work could be signed Elwyn Davies or J E D). He studied at Carmarthen Art School, 1933–7, Bristol College of Art, 1937–8, Royal College of Art, 1938–9 and 1946–7. Elwyn taught at Portsmouth College of Art, 1948–53, then for many years at Winchester College of Art. Elwyn was closely identified with the landscape of Cardiganshire and its people, notably groups emerging from chapel on a Sunday morning in Sunday-best and dark suits and bowler hats. He wrote that he “continued using figures until about 1962, then for about 10 years worked in a semi-abstract manner with subjects taken from my garden.
Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)
