DESPITE dealing with a huge range of artists' materials for 20 years as proprietor of Emrys Art Supplies in Haverfordwest and Carmarthen, Tom Learmonth has resisted taking the route to being a painter.

"I've tried painting a few times," he says, "but with no great satisfaction. Photography is my medium."

As an exception to the gallery's usual practice, a collection of Tom's recent photographs will show at The White Lion Street Gallery in December.

The work varies from full colour to monochromatic studies and several themes predominate: abstractions from natural forms as in Bullslaughter Bay rocks; wide landscapes of the Preselis, Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia where Tom walks frequently; water and ice shown in frozen waterfalls, icicles and snowfields; erosion and decay caused in rockpools, on carved stones and peeling paintwork; and images of Tenby out of season, the boats lifted, the swimmers by the bonfire, a succession of reflected unused ice cream vans.

With his geographer parents Tom lived in India and Australia as well as the UK, and as a 10-year-old he started to photograph the usual subjects, but also sought out ancient places. His early interest developed into academic study when in London he took the first BA course in Photographic Arts in the UK developing "a social/political view of what photography could and should do."

He concentrated on recording East End communities, continuing this after graduation and freelancing as a photojournalist, writing as well as photographing. Travelling to Bangladesh several times, his work resulted in a touring show, a War on Want publication and commissioned work for Christian Aid.

Moving to Wales, Tom taught residential photography courses, continuing with his documentary and landscape work. Reluctantly, recently, Tom succumbed to digital technology, but is now a firm convert. He processes without trickery however, simply making the print represent the subject as it was seen.

"In painting, the artist chooses what to put in: the photographer decides what to leave out." This has led Tom to an increasing level of abstraction in his work, sometimes leaving out the clues to the original 'subject'.

Showing in the upstairs gallery at the same time is 'Small Picture Show 2', a selection of hundreds of new original works of art priced at £300 or less.

The exhibition, Tom Learmonth Photographs, will show from until January 7, 2012, at The White Lion Street Gallery in Tenby. The gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm every day except Wednesdays and Sundays right through the Christmas and New Year period.

For further information see: http://www.artmatters.org.uk">www.artmatters.org.uk or telephone: 01834-843375.