Valerie Ganz RCA

Valerie Ganz was born in Swansea. She attended Swansea College of Art and studied painting, sculpture and stained glass. She remained as a tutor until 1973 when she turned her attention to painting full time. As her interest in the landscape of South Wales grew, her attention was drawn to the landscape of industrial areas and, in particular, the mining industry.

Night Shift Leaving
In 1985 she took a house and studio at Six Bells, Abertillery. For nearly a year she worked at the Six Bells Colliery, alongside the miners both above ground and at the coalface. In the evening she made studies of the miners and their families at choir practice, in the snooker halls and in the chapel. The work formed the basis of many exhibitions, and in particular the mining exhibition at the Glynn Vivian Gallery, Swansea in 1986, "Mining in Art" with Josef Herman, Jack Crabtree and Nicholas Evans.

Entering the Cage
A year in London followed, where she set up her studio and worked everyday at the Central School of Ballet. This was to develop still further a long held interest in figurative drawing, with a subject that had interested her for many years. Since then frequent visits to the theatre, when ballet or pantomime is being presented continues this work. She is at present working with the Ballet Russe based at the Grand Theatre, Swansea.

Preparation

In 1990 a fresh opportunity to pursue her interest in coal mining arose when she was commissioned by British Coal Opencast to study at three open cast sites in South Wales.

Jazz musicians have been a subject of her work for several years. This led in Spring 1991 to a visit to the vibrant jazz quarter of New Orleans to draw and paint. This interest continues, and she has since worked at a number of jazz festivals. In 1992 she was the official artist for the Brecon Jazz Festival and was also chosen to produce the designs for the Millennium Festival 2000.

Jazz Jamaica, Brecon 2005

Moscow State Circus on a visit to Wales was persuaded to allow her to work behind the scenes while performers rehearsed or waited to enter the ring. She found the age old excitement of the big top a fascinating subject and she has since followed them to many more venues around the Country.

The opening of a new drugs rehabilitation wing at Swansea Prison gave her the opportunity in 2002 to spend time in the prison drawing and painting prison life. The results of several months work at the prison were exhibited in Attic Gallery later that year.

In recent years, Valerie Ganz has returned to a subject that she had hitherto only touched on - namely etching. She has consequently built up a portfolio of etchings/aquatints.

Miners are still a part of her life and she has visited Tower Colliery, the only deep mine in South Wales, over many years. She has even been allowed to visit the coal face, and the drawings she has made there form the basis of her work on this subject.

Take a Break

"I have witnessed the enormous changes in the South Wales valley communities which were built around the mining industry, which has now almost disappeared. Tower Colliery, the last deep mine in South Wales, allows me access to what has been lost elsewhere.

The cultural life of Wales continues to expand with rich and diverse activities, some of which continue to appear in my work. The Ballet Russe, resident in Swansea, provides me with the opportunity to pursue one of my favourite subjects, as does the Brecon Jazz Festival and the various jazz venues in the city.

The landscape has always formed a significant part of my painting. I still find Swansea Bay fascinating, and enjoy observing the rituals of ships arriving and leaving. A recent visit to Collioure in south-west France, with its delightful harbour and beautiful countryside, has also resulted in a number of paintings.

My interest in etching continues, and I have recently been studying the techniques of lithography and exploring its possibilities."

Young Woman Reading
All her lithographs and etchings are available from the gallery where they can also be viewed.