'Trio - interpretations of Welsh Landscape', the exhibition at the Waterfront Gallery, Milford Haven, which opened last Saturday features the work of three very different fine art graduates who share a common background.

Howard Coles, RCA born in Cardiff, Colin Palmer, born in Pembrokeshire, and John Rowlands, born in Ceredigion, all started their careers as art teachers and graduated to senior posts in art education, all now retired and reside in north Wales and have actively returned to their passion of painting.

Royal Cambrian Academy member Howard Coles who was previously head of art and design at Hope University, Liverpool, said: "Many of the paintings featured began with a walk along the shore, kicking over the detritus of tidemarks, watching incoming tides filling pools and wind giving form to dunes; storms bring their own chaos and sea mists play 'hide an seek' - and my paintings take form."

He continued: "Colour and gesture inexorably moves each painting towards a number of possible destinations -but if I am not 'surprised' by some event in its progress I tend to be wary of the painting's pedigree."

The paintings on show by Colin Palmer, previously head of art and design at Barmouth Grammar School (later to become Ysgol Ardudwy Harlech) reflect past and present aspects of his work.

The past in the fierceness of the north Wales landscape and the present - Colin's recent exploration on re-discovering Pembrokeshire through the aerial images of Toby Driver, of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales.

"Through Toby Driver's camera my eyes have been dramatically disturbed, causing me to look further and deeper into the centuries of changing shapes and patterns in the landscape. It was the idea that I, too, could bring change - allowing paint and colour to create its own history by overlaying existing features with an interpreted layer of my own."

John Rowlands, who won the crown in the 1986 Pontrhydfendigaid Eisteddfod was art education officer at the National Museum in Cardiff for many years.

His visual interests at present are concerned with varying degrees of semi-abstraction.

"I try to focus on the basic dynamics of a composition in terms of rhythm, scale and movement. The tension between formal and aformal elements underline all the works shown in the exhibition - some composed in a slow, measured manner, others in a lighter instinctive manner, hence the titles 'Capriccioso'," he commented.

All three painters have exhibited throughout north Wales and are in many private and public collections. The exhibition runs until May 29. The gallery is open Monday to Saturday, 10.30 am to 4.30 pm.