Gareth Thomas


Gareth Thomas is one of the most popular artists in Wales. He first established his reputation with sensitive watercolour paintings of the South Wales coast, painting mainly outdoors to capture the constantly changing light and mood of the landscape.


He was born in Swansea in 1955 and attended Trinity College, Carmarthen. In 1979 he decided to paint full time and the earlier part of his career was devoted to working in Wales.

His paintings of the South Wales coastline and especially of Gower, where he lives, are much in demand. The beauty of this landscape continues to offer fresh challenges. For some years Provence and Venice, where he frequently goes to paint, have ignited his imagination and pushed him towards a more interpretative use of paint. As well as watercolour, he now also works in oil, acrylic and pastel. Each medium has in turn offered him fresh challenges. He is increasingly using oil paint to capture atmosphere and sense of place in his paintings, offering him a new means to express his response to colour and light.


Although most of my earlier work was in watercolour I have increasingly felt a need to experiment with different media. My more recent work has included a number of paintings where the watercolour is overlaid with pastel. I find this gives a greater scope with colour, particularly with the paintings of Provence where light gives such an incredibly vibrant effect. This is evident in my paintings of the lavender fields which I always find such an extraordinary spectacle. Gower has always been central to my work and the changing light and mood always ensure that I have to look at my subject afresh."