Students meet iconic artist on visit to Swansea

Staff and students from Gower College Swansea jumped at the chance to meet with iconic pop artist Sir Peter Blake when he visited Swansea at the weekend.

The first stop was the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery for a celebration of Blake’s illustrations for Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood and the launch of an ‘open exhibition’ for Swansea residents (which included work by College lecturer Phil Jacobs).

Then it was on to Gallerie Simpson (GS Artists) / Volcano Arts Centre for the launch of the Create a Portrait of Peter Blake exhibition, a collaboration between 9 to 90 Creative Community Art Exhibition, Fusion and the Elysium Gallery.

In attendance were L1 and L2 Art students from the Llwyn y Bryn Campus who proudly displayed the portraits of Sir Peter Blake they had created in a variety of media and styles.

“This wonderful opportunity came about when I emailed some of the students’ work over to the organisers of 9 to 90 Creative Community for consideration,” says lecturer Marilyn Jones. “To be included in this very crowded weekend event is a huge achievement for these students who showed focus, determination and respect at all times. Having the chance to meet Sir Peter Blake was just the icing on the cake!”

It was also an opportunity for Marilyn to catch up with some Llwyn y Bryn alumni, including one of the Glynn Vivian’s curators and a photographer from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, in addition to recent art students who have now progressed onto degree courses.

Peter Blake is a contemporary British artist known for his association with the Pop Art movement where he worked alongside David Hockney and Richard Hamilton. He is probably best known for creating the artwork for the Beatles’ 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.