Brendan Stuart Burns, Artist

Brendan Stuart Burns

Artist, Brendan Stuart Burns, Cardiff based and twice Gold Medal winner of the National Eisteddfod is exhibiting his most recent work at the West Wales Arts Centre, Fishguard. For sheer enjoyment of the tactile sensuousness of oil paint they are worth viewing for this alone. 'Paint in fact, is a major concern in itself', Brendan Burns. That he allows the full range of possibilities with oil paint is most apparent. But this collection offers much more besides - in the intensity of their presence as works of art, and goes beyond the picturesque landscape.

Burns has a deep preoccupation with the shoreline of the Pembrokeshire coast, particularly the rock pool, viewed from directly above as when walking on the beach. Frequently really close up. You will see no horizons or conventional pictorial devices. You will see what is there, perhaps unnoticed. He paints, indeed reconstructs, his experiences of this most fascinating feature of the changing shore – a surge from the sea and the rock pool is momentarily obliterated, becomes foam, sea-weed, shells and sand at once exposed and hidden. All is in a state of flux, fragmenting and combining, half seen images, teetering on the edge of recognition and abstraction. This takes one into the realm of 'stream of consciousness', indeed one can recognise the metaphor of the shore-line as a state of transition and transformation. The permutations of his chosen subject matter are limitless. Then there is the weather, 'Misty wet with rain' and 'Summer Haze' when, as with all his works, the subtle use of palate is to be admired. Sometimes blistering white light, other moments veiled in subtle grey / greens, punctuated with rich sienna or a plumy violet. All is fluid, rhythmic, very Celtic.

Fundamental to Burns works is his use of layered Perspex and encaustic (wax) strategically placed to entrap the moment, fix the gesture, and heighten ones awareness of the quality of reflection. This is not to say that the use of Perspex is divisive; more an illusive paradox. These are small-scale compact works, making formal use of the diptych and triptych as closely juxtaposed panels. With their rectangular and modular inference to the sequential frames of a film, this beautifully balances the fluidity of paint. With a backdrop of opaque white Perspex, the whole is encased in a clear transparent Perspex box frame. This enclosure gives each work a vulnerability, which can be likened to studying an ancient and precious manuscript, or fragment of land / shore – the implication is exquisitely tantalising.

What I particularly admire in Burns work is the honest and unselfconscious way in which he sensitively allows the paint to speak for itself, and the inventive skill and confidence with which he conveys the transitory as matter: in the object. That is Art.

The exhibition is jointly with Martin Griffiths and Darren Yeadon and runs until 18th May.

Rosemary Holcroft ..

Brendan Stuart Burns.

1963     Born.
1981-85  First Class BA (Hons) Degree in Fine Art, Faculty of Art and Design, Cardiff.
1985-87  Postgraduate Painting,  Slade School of Art,  University College London.

Group Exhibitions.

1983     Viriamu Jones Gallery, UCC Centenary.

1987     Hatton Gallery, Newcastle.
         Young Masters YOU Magazine Exhibition, Solomon Gallery, London.
         Two man Show, Haverfordwest Library Gallery, Dyfed.
         Contemporary Art Society, Smith's Gallery, London.
         Mid Wales Open, Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

1988     Mid Wales Open, Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
         'William Feaver Selection'  - Oriel Gallery, Cardiff.
                      Contemporary Art Society, Smith's Gallery, London.

1989     Three man Show, Howard Gardens Gallery, Cardiff.
         Mid Wales Open, Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
         Contemporary Art Society, Smith's Gallery, London.

1990     Leicestershire Schools and Colleges Exhibition, Leicester.
         First Wales Art Fair, Phillips Auctions Room, Cardiff.

1991     The Inaugural Welsh Contemporaries, Red Square Gallery, London.
         Leicestershire Schools and Colleges Exhibition, Leicester.
         National Eisteddfod of Wales, Bro Delyn.
         West Wales Art Fair, Tenby.
         Newport Ninety-One, Mercia Fine Art, Newport.
         Contemporary Art Society, Smith's Gallery, London.
         Wales Art Fair, The Old Library, Cardiff.

1992     National Eisteddfod of Wales, Aberystwyth.
         Leicestershire Schools and Colleges Exhibition, Leicester.
         The First "Art for Sale", published with the Guardian Newspaper,  Whitleys, London.
         The Welsh Gallery, Bond Street, London.
         Wales Open, Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
         Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne.

1993     St David's Hall Anniversary Open Competition, Cardiff.
         Hay on Wye Festival of Literature and the Arts.
         National Eisteddfod of Wales, Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, Wales.
         Wales Art Fair, Old Library, Cardiff.
         Twentieth Century British Art Fair, The Royal College of Art, London.
         The Seven Year Itch, Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran.

1994     Art '94,  The Business Design Centre, Kilvert Gallery, London.
         Two man Show, Rhyl Library Museum and Arts Centre, Clwyd.
         National Eisteddfod of Wales, Neath.
         The Kilvert Gallery, Hay on Wye, Hereford.
         Two man Show, Agoriad, Mid Glamorgan Centre of Art and Design.

1995     Welsh Contemporaries Exhibition, Oriel Contemporary Art,  London.
         Elected member of 56 Group Wales.
         Two man Show St David's Hall, Cardiff.
         56 Group Wales Exhibition, Old Library, Cardiff.
         Wales Open, Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
         Kilvert Gallery, "Directors Choice", Hay on Wye, Hereford.
         Wales Art Fair, Cardiff.
         Two man Show, Howard Gardens Gallery, Cardiff.

1995-96  WYSIWYG  Contemporary Abstract Painting, Touring Exhibition,
         Aberystwyth and Wrexham.

1996     Welsh Contemporaries Exhibition, Oriel Contemporary Art, London.
         'Art of the Possible'.  56 Group Wales Touring Exhibition.
         Wales Open, Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
         National Eisteddfod of Wales, Llandeilo.
         Turner House Gallery, National Museum and Galleries of Wales,  56 Group Wales.

1997     Welsh Contemporaries Exhibition, Oriel Contemporary Art, London.
         University of Glamorgan Purchase Prize 1997 Exhibition.
         56 Group Wales, 40th Anniversary Exhibition, Worcester City Art Gallery.
         National Museum and Gallery of Wales, Derek Williams Collection, New Purchases
         showcase at National Eisteddfod of Wales, Bala.
         56 Group Wales, 40th Anniversary Exhibition, St Davids Hall, Cardiff.

1998     The Riverside Studios, London,  Welsh Contemporaries.
         Tinto House Gallery, Welsh Contemporaries, Hay-on-Wye.
         University of Glamorgan Purchase Prize 1998 Exhibition.
         'Work from Wales', Chatton Gallery, Northumberland.
         National Eisteddfod of Wales, Bro Ogwr, Bridgend.
         'La Bise'. Model House Gallery, Llantrisant, Mid Glamorgan.
         St. David's Hall, Eisteddfod Showcase. Cardiff.
         Initiated and co-ordinated the publication   'Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit - Wales'.
         Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit - Wales, Howard Gardens Gallery, UWIC.
         'Landmarks',  National Gallery and Museum of Wales.
         Washington Gallery, Penarth.
         'Art in House'.  Hampstead, London.
         'Visualize'  Gallery,  Cardiff.
         Washington Gallery, Penarth.

1999     Art 1999, London Contemporary Art Fair, Gordon Hepworth Fine Art.
         The Riverside Studios, London,  Welsh Contemporaries.
         Washington Gallery, Penarth.
         University of Glamorgan Purchase Prize 1999 Exhibition.
         'A Mid Summer Invitation',  West Wales Arts Centre, Fishguard.
         'Visualize'  Gallery,  Cardiff.
         National Eisteddfod of Wales,  Anglesey,  North Wales.
         'Reading Images' curated by Iwan Bala,  St David's Hall, Cardiff.
         Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit - Wales,  Llantarnam Grange Art Centre, Cwmbran.
         Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit - Wales,  Oriel Clwyd, Mold, Flintshire.
         56 Group Wales  'New Work'.  Howard Gardens Gallery, UWIC.
         Washington Gallery, Christmas Show.

2000     'Oil and Water'.  Brendan Burns, Terry Setch and Iwan Parry.
         Centre for Visual Arts, Cardiff.
         Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit - Wales,  Y Bont Gallery, University of Glamorgan.
         Harlech Biennale, Harlech.
         'A Decade of Gold Medal Winners',  National Eisteddfod of Wales,  Llanelli.
         'Welsh Artists  talking to Tony Curtis'. National Museum & Galleries of Wales.
         Washington Gallery, Christmas Show.

2001     Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit - Wales,  The Mall Galleries, London.
         Welsh  European Office, Brussels.
         West Wales Arts Centre. Fishguard, Pembrokeshire.
         Blackheath Gallery, London.
         Woburn Gallery, London.
         Painting -Ysbryd / Spirit -Wales, Welsh Delegation, L'Orient Interceltic Festival, France.
         'Room between our Voices'. Painting/Photography/Poetry. St Donats Art Centre,touring.
         'Different Lights'.  UKwithNY Festival.   Angel Orensanz Arts Centre.  New York.
         'Small works'.  West Wales Arts Centre. Fishguard, Pembrokeshire.
         Washington Gallery, Penarth. Christmas show.

2002     'Room between our Voices'. Painting/Photography/Poetry. Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd
         'Room between our Voices'. Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea.
         'Exhibition of Contemporary Welsh Artists', The Gallery, Juxta Hayward White,
         Dedddington, Oxon.

2002     Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit – Le Salle Aragon, Trelaze. France.
         Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit – Le Centre Culturel, Carhaix. France.
         Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit – Festival Interceltique de L'Orient, Le Chambre de Commerce
         Et de L'Industrie. France.
         'Diverse Impressions'.  Hill Court Gallery, Abergavenny.
         National Eisteddfod of Wales, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
2002 -03 'A Propos' Ceri Richards,  Painting - Ysbryd / Spirit - Wales,
         National Museum & Galleries of Wales, Cardiff.
         Winter Exhibition, West Wales Arts Centre, Fishguard.

2003     'laces'. National Museum & Galleries of Wales, Cardiff.
         Welsh Contemporaries Annual, London.

Individual Exhibitions.

1991    The Florentine Experience, Powerhouse Gallery, Laugharne, Dyfed.
1992    Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran.
1995    Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells.
1996    Oriel Contemporary Art, London.
1999    Y Tabernacl,  Museum of Modern Art Wales,  Machynlleth.
1999    'As well as being..' National Museum & Galleries of Wales, Turner House, Cardiff.
2002    'Not the stillness…' Newport Museum and Art Gallery.
2002    'Not the stillness…' Oriel Clwyd, Mold, North Wales.
2002    Selected works from 'Not the stillness…' Rhondda Heritage Park, Rhondda Cynon Taff.
2003    'Not the stillness…' National Library of Wales.  Aberystwyth.

Awards and Prizes.

1989    Arts Council of Wales Travel Scholarship, Florence, Italy.
1991    Artist in Residence, Llanfrechfa Grange Mental Health Unit, Cwmbran.
1992    Arts Council of Wales Travel Scholarship, New York, USA.
1993    Winner of the Gold Medal in Fine Art, National Eisteddfod of Wales,
        Llanelwedd, South Powys.
1997    The Friedrich Konekamp Award for Painting.
1998    Winner of the Gold Medal in Fine Art, National Eisteddfod of Wales,
        Bro Ogwr, Bridgend.
1999    First Prize, University of Glamorgan Purchase Prize.
2000    Welsh Artist of the Year 2000.
2001    Arts Council of Wales Career Development Grant, to participate in
        'Different Lights' UkwithNY Festival, Angel Orensanz Arts Centre, New York.

Public Collections.

South Glamorgan County Council Collection.
Leicestershire Education Authority.
Associated Newspapers for Museums Collection.
National Museum and Galleries of Wales,   (Derek Williams Collection.)
Contemporary Art Society of Wales.
University of Glamorgan.
Celtic Manor Hotel & Conference Centre, Newport.
Private Collections United Kingdom, France, Australia and USA.

Forthcoming Exhibitions.

May / June 2003           West Wales Arts Centre.

Selected Bibliography.


July 1987, 'Mail on Sunday, YOU Magazine'. Written by Brian Sewell.
July 1992, 'Art for Sale'. The Guardian.
July 1993.  South Wales Echo.
February 1992,  HTV Primetime.
July 1993,  Western Mail.
July 1993,  South Wales Echo. July  1993, HTV Wales.
July 1993,  S4C.
July 1993, Golwg.
August 1993,  Modern Painters.
July 1995,  Arts Review.  November
1996, Golwg.
July 1998,  South Wales Echo.
July 1998, Western Mail.
July 1998, HTV Wales.
July 1998,  BBC 2.
July 1998, Golwg.
October 1998, Art Review - Focus on Pembrokeshire by Myles Pepper.
December 1998, Art Review - Focus on Wales.
March 1999, 'First Hand', BBC Radio Wales interview with John Gower.
March 1999, BBC Choice interview.
March 1999, Western Mail Feature - by Peter Wakelin.
August 1999, Ffrindiau - Eisteddfod Magazine -
  Profile written by Robyn Tomos.
August 1999, Certain Welsh Artists by Iwan Bala.
BBC Choice interview – Welsh Artistof the Year 2000.
'Welsh Artists Talking', interviews by Tony Curtis, published by Seren.
February 2002, Western Mail Feature – 'Not the stillness…' exhibition.
May 2002, The Times Newspaper.
September 2002, Western Mail Feature – 'A Propos – Ceri Richards,
  Ysbryd Spirit Painting Wales.'
September 2002, Western Mail, Mel Gooding reviews 'A Propos'.
October 2002, 'Planet The Welsh Internationalist Magazine',
  Essay written by Iwan Bala.
February 2003, Western Mail – 'Not the stillness…'

Teaching and Professional Experience.


1993     Lecturer, Crosskeys College, Gwent Tertiary College.
1993     Visiting Lecturer on Foundation Course, Glamorgan Centre of
         Art and Design Technology.
1994 -   Lecturer Foundation Course, Glamorgan Centre of
         Art and Design Technology.
1999     Speaker, with Tony Curtis,  'Whealth of the World'  Symposium,
         National Museum of Wales, in conjunction with UWIC.
2000     Selector, National Eisteddfod of Wales, Llanelli.
2000     Cardiff Bay Literature & Arts Festival- Academi Wales, Tony Curtis in conversation with
         Brendan Burns and Iwan Bala.
2000     Guest Speaker at 'Habit-Habitat-Habitation', The Royal Society of Architects in Wales
         Annual Conference.
2002     Ceri Richards Study Day, National Museum & Galleries of Wales, in conversation with
         Tony Curtis, Professor Glyn Jones, Glenys Cour and John Selway.
2002     'A personal response', Presentation, National Museum & Galleries of Wales.
2003     'Places', Presentation, National Museum & Galleries of Wales.

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