We are blessed with an extraordinary number of local artists and crafts people. For example, you can see at least 18 different studios around Cardigan Bay through the Open Studios initiative www.cardiganopenstudios.co.uk. This peaks around the August Bank Holiday.
Our most local artist, Philippa Sibbert from Capel Iwan both produces lovely work http://philippasibert.weebly.com/
http://www.artholidayspembrokeshire.co.uk If you would like to have a go at producing something yourself – Studio Llwyndrain – carry out Art taster days – a great opportunity to be creative as a family.
Newcastle Emlyn, 4 miles away, has even more talented local artists – Gabrielle Dudley’s gallery is worth a visit – she paints beautifully and produces the most amazing tiles: www.gabriellesgallery.co.uk . The Makers Mark gallery showcases many local artists and crafts people, including another local artist from Newcastle Emlyn – Helen Elliott www.helenelliott.net and Diane Matthias from Henllan, just up the road http://www.dianemathias.com We also have Sculpture Heaven – a beautiful garden not far from Newcastle Emlyn, showcasing their stunning sculptures http://www.sculptureheaven.co.uk – we own several examples of their work.
http://artpembrokeshire.co.uk lists more than 70 different artists in Pembrokeshire and shows examples of their work. A trip to St David’s will take you to the heart of a thriving artistic community and the art gallery at the visitor’s centre there is well worth a look. There are lots of other galleries in the city (the UK’s smallest) and the surrounding area too http://www.stdavids.co.uk/artpage.htm. We particularly enjoyed a visit to Steve Robinson’s glass studio http://www.steverobinsonglass.com
A visit to the galleries along King street in Carmarthen, near the castle, is a must for art lovers.
Some more galleries in Pembrokeshire:
www.tenbymuseum.org.uk Tenby museum with 2 art galleries with regular changing exhibitions
www.raulspeek.co.uk A very colourful gallery showing the work of this talented Cuban artist in beautiful Solva.
www.orielyparc.co.uk St Davids visitor centre with a selection of crafts, artist’s materials and a stunning art gallery.
www.oriel-y-felin.com Oriel-y-felin gallery, 5 Nun Street St Davids
www.thestudioatpenrallt.co.uk Penrallt Farm, Newport. Owned by artists Helen Beazley and Marc Morley (Helen writes the Lavender Road series under the name Helen Carey).
The mill used to produce its own craftwork in the form of woollen cloth and blankets. Unfortunately, we don’t have any of the original cloth, but you can see examples of Welsh blankets and quilts at the Jen Jones quilt centre in Lampeter http://www.jen-jones.com/ or Jane Beck’s Welsh Blankets at Tregaron http://www.welshblankets.co.uk/