Tim Freeman is
Welsh Artist of the Year 2009

Cardiff-based artist Tim Freeman was named the Welsh Artist of the Year on Sunday, May 24, at St David’s Hall in Cardiff.

Tim’s entry Hidden System, a subversive take on a traditional landscape scene, beat 500 other entries to win the title.

On Sunday afternoon the winning artist was presented with a cheque for £2000 by Welsh arts broadcaster Nicola Heywood Thomas in an award ceremony at St David’s Hall, Cardiff. There are also prizes in seven other categories and five highly commended awards.

Tim’s black and white giclee print of a pastoral scene of the Lake District with an industrial pipeline cutting through it, is part of an ongoing series of work in which the Cardiff Bay-based artist takes his influence from the great British romantic paintings of William Blake, Constable and Sixties artist Robert Smithson.

“Hidden System explores the contradictions inherent to the physical landscapes we inhabit and pass through. It’s a visual metaphor of the ever increasing man-made systems which underlay our collective and personal landscapes,” says Tim, 30, who creates his complex multi-layered images using Photoshop.

The judging panel, which included renowned Welsh artist Terry Setch and last year’s winner Philippa Lawrence, said it was the “quality” of Tim’s image which stood out from the other entries, including many by well-known and professional Welsh artists.

“Tim’s images are so well crafted. They draw you in and hold your interest,” said Philippa. “I find his work unnerving as I fear we will one day get used to seeing the familiar yet distorted and surreal landscapes he portrays.”

Born in Alberta, Canada and raised in the Yorkshire Dales, Tim moved to Cardiff in 1998 to study at the University of Wales Institute, Howard Gardens, Cardiff. His work has been exhibited widely at the Bay Art, Tactile Bosch and G39 Galleries in Cardiff.

“It means a great deal to me to win the title. To have my work recognised at such a high level is a great honour and will give me the impetus to advance further with my work,” said Tim, who also won the National Purchase Prize at the National Eisteddfod in 2007.

The runner up prize was awarded to Swansea-based artist Fern Thomas for her photograph Bird as External Organ.

Fern is one of five Swansea-based artists to be presented with category awards in this year’s competition.

 Tim’s winning entry will form the centre-piece of the exhibition, which runs until July 25 at St David’s Hall, Cardiff. The exhibition features the work of all the prize winners plus more than 80 other pieces to make the shortlist.

WINNERS IN FULL

Overall winner and Printmaking
Tim Freeman, Cardiff
Title of Exhibit: Hidden System

Runner up and Photography Award
Fern Thomas, Swansea
Title of Exhibit: Bird as External Organ

Drawing Award
Owen Griffiths, Swansea
Title of Exhibit: Salt Field:The Grower

Time-based Media
Adele Vye, Swansea
Title of Exhibit: On Wasting Energy
(Type) DVD Projection

Applied Arts
Nicola Palterman, Swansea
Title of Exhibit: Aur Du

Painting
Corrie Chiswell, Cardiff
Title of Exhibit: Disillusion

Sculpture
James Exton, Ynysybwl, nr Pontypridd
Title of Exhibit: Nature Conforms

Student
Jason Davies, Creigiau
Title of Exhibit: Abstract Systems  (pen and ink on paper)

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Claudia Lis, Montgomery, Powys
Title of Exhibit: White stoneware: celadon glazes (ceramic) 

Richard Cox: Cardiff
Title of Exhibit: Naku Boari Rajashtan, Stepwell Series
(photograph)

Rabab Ghazoul of Riverside, Cardiff
Title of Exhibit: Breeze, For Love’s Sake Take Me Home (Time-based category)

James and Tilla Waters, Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire
Title of Exhibit: Orange to Grey (ceramic)

Ashraf Hanna  Haverford West
Title of Exhibit: Carved Angular Vessel (ceramic)

Pictures of selected entries available

Notes to editors

The Welsh Artist of the Year was founded during the millennium year to promote and celebrate the wealth of artistic ability in Wales. Originally intended as a one-off event, it is now in its ninth year.
The competition was open to any artists over the age of 18, living and working in Wales, and any Welsh artists living in the UK.

Judging Panel

2D competition: Phillipa Lawrence, winner of Welsh Artist of the Year 2008; world-renowned Welsh artist Terry Setch; Jenni Spencer Davies, curator of the Glyn Vivian Gallery, Swansea; Ruth Cayford, curator of Welsh Artist Of The year Exhibition.

3D competition: Suzie Horan, silversmith and National Eisteddfod Gold Medal winner; ceramicist Lowri Davies, Cardiff art school graduate and winner of the Young Artist Scholarship at the National Eisteddfod 2001; Ingrid Murphy, head of ceramics at UWIC and Ruth Cayford, exhibition curator.

For further information, please contact Ruth Cayford on 029 2087 8706 / rcayford@cardiff.gov.uk or Alison Stokes on 07817 990771/ a.stokes2@sky.com

Winners Quotes

1. Overall winner and Printmaking
Tim Freeman, Cardiff
Title of Exhibit:Hidden System (giclee print)
Presenting the award, Nicola Heywood-Thomas said: “His multi-layered works highlight the difference between natural and man-made landscapes.”
Tim said: “I’m thrilled to win this award.
It’s not the easiest thing to make art for a living and awards like this give me the impetus keep doing it.  The judging panel was made up of people I respect and for them to see my work in this light makes it all worthwhile.
The prize money will make sure that I’m financially OK while I’m preparing for work for the Northern Print Biennale in Newcastle and another exhibition at St David’s Hall in October.”

2. Runner up and Photography Award
Fern Thomas, Swansea
Title of Exhibit: Bird as External Organ (Photograph)
Fern said: “I’m surprise and very grateful. When I set out to create Bird as External Organ I was more interested in making the piece and not thinking of competitions. It’s nice to see how prevalent environmental practice is in the art world in Wales and We (FAO – the collective of Fern Thomas, Adele Vye and Owen Griffiths) are honoured to be part of that.”

3. Drawing Award
Owen Griffiths, Swansea
Title of Exhibit: Man and Tree
He said: “Awards like this are an impetus to stay in Wales and develop a practice in Wales. It’s nice to be recognised. It gives me a sense of belonging to Wales and Welsh artists. It’s also great that our collective (FAO) is making an impact.”

4. Time-based Media
Adele Vye, Swansea
Title of Exhibit: On Wasting Energy
(Type) DVD Projection
Adele said:  “I was shocked to win the award.It shows how important it is that the public appreciate the importance of art in addressing environmental issues and how art can be used as a tool to deal with such issues.”

5. Applied Arts
Nicola Palterman, Swansea
Title of Exhibit: Aur Du (22-ct gold neckpiece made with coal)
Presenting the award, Nicola Heywood-Thomas said: “I am delighted for Nicola that she has won. Nicola and Mari Thomas have a very creative and successful business in Swansea. “
Nicola said: “It’s amazing to win this award. I was up against a lot of friends and know what talent there is in the competition. When I set out to make Aur Du it was always a work in progress. As an artist I have always considered my Welsh environment in my work, that’s why I use a lot of Welsh slate and jasper as well as diamonds. In Aur Du I liked the black of the coal against the gold.”

6. Painting
Corrie Chiswell, Cardiff
Title of Exhibit: Disillusion
Presenting the award, Nicola Heywood-Thomas said:
Corrie said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have won. I recognise that there are so many other great painters that I admire in this exhibition, people like Neale Howells and Chris Griffin, and that’s what makes this award mean so much to me.”

7. Sculpture
James Exton, Ynysybwl, nr Pontypridd
Title of Exhibit: Nature Conforms
Presenting the award, Nicola Heywood-Thomas said: “This piece sets the tone for the entries showing an interest and concern with environmental issues.”
James said: I’m pleased to be getting this recognition so early in my career. It’s a good platform to get my work out there. I’ve had some really nice feedback from other artists and the public.”

8. Student
Jason Davies, Creigiau
Title of Exhibit: Abstract Systems  (pen and ink on paper)
He said: “”By the time I graduate from Swansea University next year I’ll be 44, so I am the oldest student in town. But artists’ careers begin at different stages of their lives. I’ve returned to education late in life which means I have an old head and can appreciate learning more.
I was happily surprised to win the award. It’s not an obvious drawing. It’s a great honour to win and to have some critical feedback from the judging panel.”

Highly Commended

Claudia Lis, Montgomery, Powys
Title of Exhibit: White stoneware: celadon glazes (ceramic) 
Claudia, who was unable to collect her award in person, said: “Thank you so much for highly commending my work. It means so much to me.”

Richard Cox, Cardiff
Title of Exhibit: Naku Boari Rajashtan, Stepwell Series
(photograph)
He said: “I have never submitted work to this competition before, so I was surprised to win. Exhibition officer Ruth Cayford has done such a professional job of setting up this exhibition; it’s a competition which is worth taking seriously. Tim Freeman deserves to win. He’s a first class artist and genuinely modest.”

Rabab Ghazoul of Riverside, Cardiff
Title of Exhibit: Breeze, For Love’s Sake Take Me Home (Time-based category)
Rabab, who was born and grew up in Iraq, said: “”I’m delighted to be highly commended. The piece was based on a series of still photographs that I took in front of the mirror in my bedroom. I set them to a song by the most famous Middle Eastern singer Fairuz, which is about longing for home. The piece reflects my own experiences from my home in the Middle East. But the issues of race, belonging and cultural identity are also relevant to Wales.”
   
James and Tilla Waters, Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire
Title of Exhibit: Orange to Grey (ceramic)
They said: “It’s lovely to win this. This is the third year we have entered and been shortlisted but the first time we’ve won a prize. The piece we entered is about colour. It’s a set of beakers, it’s very unpretentious and small. It’s not big and it’s not clever.”

Ashraf Hanna  Haverford West
Title of Exhibit: Carved Angular Vessel (ceramic)
Ashraf, who was born in Egypt but moved to the UK in 1989, was unable to attend the awards ceremony. He said: “I’m honoured to be highly commended and delighted to be living and making work in this beautiful country.”

CRAFT SHOWCASES

We carry work by makers from throughout the UK, including ceramicists Walter Keeler, Sarah Dunstan, Sarah Noel, Lowri Davies and jewellery by Jane Adam, Marlene McKibbin, Sally Wakelin and Becky Crawford. Our showcases are constantly changed and updated, offering buyers some of the most exciting applied art available.

PRINCIPALITY COLLECTORPLAN

Works exhibited at the hall are available to buy with interest-free credit through the Arts Council of Wales Principality Collectorplan. For more information, ask a member of staff.

We are open 10 - 4 Monday – Saturday. Admission is free.

Welsh Artist of the Year 2007