It is both the end of an era and the beginning of a new one for Abergavenny based artist, Jeremy Thomas.
Copyright Jeremy Thomas
For the last fifteen years, Jeremy (Mr T) taught at Our Lady and St. Michael’s Primary School, Abergavenny, He has had the pleasure of sharing his passion for creativity with hundreds of children, many of whom are now at University or embarking upon their own successful careers. It was a difficult decision to leave but he will cherish the many fond memories that he has amassed over the years. From now on, however, he intends to work chiefly as an artist; it is a very exciting time for him.
Growing up in Ebbw Vale and primarily inspired by the sights, sounds and colours of the Valleys, Jeremy has developed a catalogue of paintings that are as much about story telling as they are about image. Many of his early works tell tales of winding terraces, towering factory chimneys and undulating hills. In recent years, however, he has been a resident of Abergavenny, a move that has undoubtedly influenced the mood and style of his painting.
In his latest piece, Jeremy pays tribute to his relatively new hometown. The huge (56” x44”) oil painting, which was started almost a year ago, has finally been completed, and is jam-packed with intricate details. It contains many of the geographical and structural landmarks of the town, all portrayed in Jeremy’ s rather quirky style. Many of the people that he has observed around Abergavenny make cameos in the painting too…so you may even be starring in it!
“I am really pleased with this painting, it has been a painstaking process, but I’m really proud of the outcome, it is the sort of picture that you could look at for many years and keep finding new things that you never noticed before… that’s my favourite kind of picture really” says Jeremy, who is now ready to start his next project.
If you would like to take a closer look at the picture, then pop into Framed by John on Lewis’ Lane, Abergavenny. You can also see Jeremy’s work all year round at Craft Renaissance Gallery in Kemey’s Commander, Usk.
