Swansea artist inspires murals at city school

Creative children from Swansea have been working with a top local artist to make special displays for their school.

Mary Hayman worked with pupils from Ysgol Crug Glas and Morriston special teaching facility to make three large-scale paintings as part of the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery’s offsite schools programme called ‘Glynn Vivian Away Days’.

The Swansea Council art workshops are taking place in schools across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot while the main gallery building on Alexandra Road is closed for refurbishment.

Artist educators use images from the gallery’s large collection to inspire and engage with primary and secondary school pupils.

The pupils from Ysgol Crug Glas and Morriston worked with a painting from the Gallery’s collection called ‘Hurricane Charlie’ by Swansea artist Jane Phillips (1957-2011).

The class used masking tape and brightly-coloured paint to recreate some of Jane’s dynamic and abstract works. The six-foot long murals have now been put on display for the whole school to enjoy at Ysgol Crug Glas.

Cllr Nick Bradley, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “The refurbishment of the main Glynn Vivian Art Gallery building will strengthen Swansea’s status as a leading city of culture, but it’s important we continue to make the arts accessible to people of all ages throughout its temporary closure. This is where projects like the offsite schools programme come into their own.”

Mary said: “It was great to see all the pupils get involved in the activity and their work looks hugely impressive on this scale.

“It was especially meaningful for me because Jane was a very close friend and to see the children find so much joy in her work was incredibly moving.”

The gallery’s art workshops are available to schools who are members of Swansea Council’s 4Site education programme. Information of how to join can be found at www.swansea.gov.uk/4site

Top Painting: Jane Phillips 'Hurricane Charlie, 1986. Photography by Amanda Roderick. Collection of Glynn Vivian Art Gallery & Museum.

 BottomPainting: Fishing Boats, Summer, Swansea by Mary Hayman Acrylic on wood, 39 x 60 cm Collection: Swansea Museum

Notes about Jane Phillips.

Jane Phillips was Mission Gallery's Director from 2003-2011. She sadly passed away on 6th February 2011 after a long battle with cancer. Jane dedicated her life and career to Mission Gallery and worked on a voluntary basis for over 20 years as it's Gallery Co-ordinator.

After training as a painter at Central School of Art in the late Seventies, Jane returned to Swansea where she worked from her studio in Gloucester Place, opposite Mission Gallery. Jane's most prolific period was during the early eighties, soon after she graduated, when she produced large scale canvases. These colourful, abstract paintings, serve as a fitting tribute to, and celebration of, Jane's creativity and talent.

With the support of her family, friends and colleagues, Mission Gallery has organised an exhibition and a series of events. This includes a fundraising auction and launch of the Jane Phillips Award, which will support emerging artists and craftmakers, one of Jane's great passions.

 "Jane's achievements and her success at Mission Gallery were considerable: her dedication and drive merged seamlessly with her informed artistic vision, her enthusiasm was infectious, always coloured by a warm sense of humour and her spirit, which fought for the rights of so many artists, came directly from her belief in art and her love of life".  

 Jenni Spencer Davies
Curator, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery Swansea