Exhibition of Carmarthen artist’s work

CARMARTHEN born artist Edward Morland Lewis has a selection of paintings on show at the Carmarthenshire County Museum through Spring and Summer 2014.

Many Welsh artists and writers forged their professional careers in London during the 1902s and 1930s. Among the Welsh Diaspora were poet Dylan Thomas and the important artist, Edward Morland Lewis.

County Museum’s officer Ann Dorset said: “Although most of Edward Morland Lewis’ adult life was spent away from his native Wales it was the Welsh landscape that inspired much of his work. Quaysides, riverside and seaboard towns were some of his favourite subjects and it was the subdued hues and tones of west Wales and Ireland that held their greatest appeal for him.”

Edward Morland Lewis was born in Carmarthen in 1903. His father Benjamin Archibald Lewis was manager of the Carmarthen Gas Works. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School before attending the Carmarthen School of Arts and Crafts for two years. His artistic training continued at the St John’s Wood School of Art followed by the Royal Academy Schools, from 1924.

His early work shows the influence of Walter Richard Sickert for whom he worked as a pupil and assistant. Morland Lewis joined the London Artist’ Association in 1930 and exhibited with Robert Medley at the Cooling Galleries in 1932. He later joined the London Group of Artists and taught at the Chelsea Polytechnic. A large exhibition of his work was held at Picture Hire Ltd in London in 1938.

In 1939, Morland acquired a house near Much Hadham Hertfordshire. He married fellow artist Kathleen Fausset-Osborne in 1940. He died of malaria in Tunisia, whilst serving with the Camouflage Corps. A memorial exhibition was held at the Leicester Galleries in 1944.

The paintings in this exhibition are from this museum’s collections. More paintings from the museum’s art collection may be seen on: www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings.