Intriguing collages and paintings from Paul Woodford form the new exhibition starting at Art Matters Gallery, Tenby. Paul has developed a unique form of mixed media collage, involving constructions of torn Japanese papers under - and over-painted with acrylic. The resulting pieces, predominantly based on land and seascape, benefit from unexpected qualities of light and vertical structures from the underlying layers. A second group of paintings, on canvas and paper, follow a theme relating to pebbles, the beach and music. Some combine the feeling of crunching over pebbles whilst listening to music; others represent the eye's switching of focus from close attention to the beauty of a particular stone to a wide view of the whole beach and the changes caused by wind and weather. Finely observed paintings of wet stones captured between rocks are balanced by exuberant swishes of loose brushwork. Paul Woodford graduated from Portsmouth with a first class degree in Fine Art in 1986, and followed that with a teaching qualification. For some years he combined lecturing in fine art and teaching in further education with his painting, but for the last year has been painting full time. Well-known in Cardiff and Swansea galleries, Paul has exhibited in many group and solo shows across England and Wales in the last 10 years, and his work has been purchased for the public collection held in the Palace of Westminster (House of Lords). The exhibition opens tomorrow (Saturday) and continues until Friday, September 9, with an opportunity to meet the artist and learn more about his work on Saturday, September 3, from 2 to 4.30 pm. Art Matters Gallery is situated in South Parade, next to the fire station opposite the town walls. It is open from 10 am to 5 pm every day except Wednesdays. The work of more than 50 other artists is also showing in other parts of the gallery.
