Born: 1951 in Newport/Gwent; trained: at the age of 12 he studied dance & drama & later stage design at leading stage schools; in the late 1980s he returned to Wales to concentrate on his work as an artist; he now works full-time from his Cardiff studio; member of the 56 Group Wales; RCA.

"Deposition II", 2001 conte on arches 56x76cm

"Study for a Mari Lwyd", 2001 conte & ink on paper 19x16cm

"The Second Fall", 2001 conte on arches 56x76cm

(1=artist's collection, 2&3=in private collections)

Clive Hicks-Jenkins is at present best known for "One of the most powerful series of paintings and drawings produced in Wales in recent times" (Robert Macdonald, Planet 151). Disillusioned with the unsettled world of a successful dancer, choreographer, stage designer and theatre director he sought refuge in Tretower Court, Brecknockshire, where he decided to become a full-time painter. At first he combined elements of still life with landscape which involved foregroung object such as a jug, china figurine or bowl portraying worlds of his own creation, objects with strong emotional associations.
Personal tragedy then drew him in a new direction. Fascinated by the Welsh folk custom of the Mari Lwyd, the latter became central to his work, although soon slipping the tether of its folk custom origins and metamorphosing into something less corporeal. This lead to a series of paintings far larger than any he had attempted before known as 'The Tower on the Hill' series (quoted from exhibition notes by kind permission of the artist). For more, read HERE

Awards: 1996 Watercolour of Wales prize, 1999 Gulbenkian Welsh Art prize, 2000 Welsh Artist of the Year 2nd prize; 2002 Creative Wales Award from the Arts Council of Wales.

Commissions: 1997-2001 editions for The Old Stile Press; 2000 Stained Glass Panel for Confreys Solicitors Cardiff; selected for Contemporary Art Soc.of Wales Print Project.

International Links:
collections abroad containing ARTIST'S BOOKS by CLIVE HICKS-JENKINS=New York Public Library; University of Pennsylvania; Auckland City Library; Folger Shakespeare Library Washington DC
exhibitions abroad: 2001/2 'Dreaming Awake' touring exhib. Terezin/Czech Republic (mixed).

Dealers: Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff and Anthony Hepworth Gallery, Bath.

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