Fifty years of Cardigan Art Society were celebrated at the opening of this year’s summer show at Oriel Mwldan, at the week-end. Welcoming the crowd of members and well-wishers, the newly elected Mayor of Cardigan, Graham Evans, congratulated the artists on their society’s longevity and on the variety and talent of those who have shown work over the years. In his role of choosing a winner of the trophy for best in the current show, he said that he and Mayoress Catrin Miles had shared the process, since they were both art lovers.

‘It was a difficult matter to make a choice,’ he said. ‘The standard throughout is so high. In the end we came to the conclusion we would choose one which we think anyone would want to see every day on the wall of their sitting room and never be bored by.’ The winner was Ina Parry’s ‘Estuary’ a lovely landscape under a beautiful night sky. Ms Parry, who has been a long-time member of the Art Society, accepted the trophy which she will keep for a year, with thanks, and was visibly overwhelmed by the moment and the praise as fellow artists gathered round to offer congratulations.

Amongst the other excellent work on display, were Glen Ibbotson’s ‘Sybil’ as classical in its line as in its name, Malcolm Gwyon’s arresting portrait of ‘Sinead O’Connor’ with her perfect face delineated from her native country, David Clinch’s strong, unflinching portraits of the ‘Wino Crew’, John Hall-Edwards clever and captivating ‘Reflections’, all of Lyndon Thomas’s fabulous rocky landscapes, Marion Dawe’s very harvestable ‘Cornfield’, Ryl Boyd Wallis’s timeless ‘Cenarth Bridge’, and, a new hare from David Beattie with ‘Hare and The Full Moon’ (the look on its face!) Martin Clements sweep of golden sunset in ‘End of the Day’, Helen Rowlands’ ‘Brechfa Ivy’, along with Annette Beattie’s immaculately beautiful sewn pieces bringing a feeling of outdoors translated into interior design treasures. More of course than these to see, and this is an exhibition to relish, with long-standing and new members exhibiting together. The exhibition runs until June 21 and is open daily from 10am except Sundays when it opens at noon.

LW