Martyn Jones is a contemporary painter who works from his studio based in Cardiff, Wales, U.K. Jones graduated M.A. Fine Art, at Chelsea School of Art, London and was awarded Junior Fellowship at Bath Academy of Art. Among his tutors were the British artists Adrian Heath and Patrick Heron.

Jones will be exhibiting three solo shows during 2012: Artefact Pardo Gallery, Lake Worth, Florida, U.S.A., Oriel Ynys Mon Gallery, Angelsey, Wales and Kooywood Gallery, Cardiff, Wales. In March 2010 Jones staged his second solo-show at the Robert Steele Gallery, New York. His work has been exhibited widely in U.K., Europe and U.S.A. including the National Gallery of Wales and Wales International Centre, Chrysler Building, New York. His paintings continue to be sought after by numerous public and private collectors.

Colour has always played a fundamental role in my painting. The importance of colour as a vehicle of expression in painting, was impressed on me at an early stage of my development, by the British artist Patrick Heron. My work mainly adheres to, and is inspired by, European traditions in painting. My deepest influences lie in the work of Miro, Braque, Kandinsky and Heron.
My paintings explore and are specific to, the theme of ‘place and time’. The work is descriptive in essence, natural shape and form taken from the world at large. Ideas for paintings begin with preliminary sketches or studies ‘in situ’, as it were, working directly from landscape or primary sources, in a sketchbook. These initial ideas are then translated into more finished larger scale paintings, working on paper or canvas. The compositional elements that are employed within each painting aim to capture a spirit of delight both in their immediacy and simplicity. I am currently embarked on a series of paintings that are preoccupied with using colour, shape and line to immediately connect the viewer with the natural world, but am also aiming to transform the percipient’s vision of it.

The content of my work has been described as capturing a natural ambiguity, but that ambiguity should not be construed as being manufactured in any way. Within each image an open invitation is challengingly presented to the percipient. My paintings can also become a projection of inward experiences or states of mind, an escapism into oneself. It is difficult to determine when a painting is finished, but usually I instinctively know when that moment has arrived. I can say more often than not, my paintings finish themselves.

2011 Solo-show, Off the Wall Gallery, Cardiff, Wales.
2010 Atelier, Robert Steele Gallery, New York.
2010 Off the Wall Contemporary Art, Cardiff, Wales.
2009 Kooywood Gallery, Cardiff.
2008 Overland, Robert Steele Gallery, New York.
2008 Cynon Valley Museum, Wales.
2008 Rhondda Heritage Museum, Wales.
2007 Overland Kooywood Gallery, Cardiff.
2006 The Project Room, Robert Steele Gallery, New York.
2005 Esto Perpetua, Kooywood Gallery, Cardiff.
2005 Oriel Mon, Angelsey, North Wales.
2005 Cynon Valley Museum, Wales.
2004-07 Twelve New Works, Wales International Center, Chrysler Building, New York.
2003 Via, Oriel Capsule Gallery, Cardiff.
2002 Genuis Loci, Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Gwent, Wales.

2011 ‘Jones/Melero’ Espacio, 1440 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, U.S.A.
2011 Group-show, Ffin-y-Parc Gallery, Conwy, North Wales.
2011 ‘ArtAt’ Arts Festival, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
2011 ‘Etcetera – 4 Contemporary Painters’, Oxmarket Centre of Arts, Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.
2010 Group-show, Blackheath Gallery, London.
2010 Group show, Cowbridge Gallery, Wales.
2009 Summer in Suite 402, Robert Steele Gallery, New York.
2009 Group Show, Robert Steele Gallery, New York.
2009 National Eisteddfod, Bala, Wales.
2009 International Artexpo, Jacob Javits Center, New York.
2008 Ffres Ysbryd/Spirit Wales Newport Museum and Gallery, Gwent
2008 International Artists Summer Show, Robert Steele Gallery, New York.
2008 56 Group Wales, Tenby Museum, Oriel Myrddin, Wales.
2007 Chelsea Summer Dreaming, Robert Steele Gallery, New York.
2007 Kooywood Gallery, Cardiff.
2007 West Wales Arts Centre, Fishguard, Wales.
2007 Attic Gallery, Swansea, Wales.
2006 On the Horizon, Robert Steele Gallery, New York.
2006 56 Group Wales, Kooywood Gallery, Cardiff.
2005 Robert Steele Gallery, New York.
2004 Venezuelan Consulate Gallery, New York.
2004 International Artexpo, Jacob Javits Center, New York.
2002 A Propos, Nine Contemporary Artists, National Gallery of Wales.
2001 Painting Ysbryd/Spirit Wales, Mall Galleries, London.
2000 First Prizewinner, Arts Purchase Prize, University of Glamorgan, Wales.

2012 Solo-show, Artefact Pardo Gallery, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, U.S.A.
2012 Solo-show, Oriel Ynys Mon, Anglesey, Wales.
2012 Solo-show, Kooywood Gallery, Cardiff, Wales.
2012 ‘Etcetera II’ Oxmarket Centre of Arts, Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.

2011 ‘56 Group Wales’, Gomer Press, Wales, U.K.
2009 Western Mail ‘When colour is the key’ Karen Price.
2008 New York Art World Magazine, ‘Art Review’.
2008 Celtic Newspapers ‘Artist who’s a draw in States’ Kathryn Williams.
2007 Western Mail, ‘Favourite Room’, Leah Bryant.
2006‘The Dictionary of Artists in Wales since 1945’ Dr. Peter Smith/ Isabel Hitchman, Art Dictionaries Ltd.
2006 Western Mail, Visual Arts, ‘Studio Interview’, Karen Price.
2005 ITV News Wales, Artist Studio Interview’.
2005 Western Mail, ‘New York Gets a Taste of Welsh Abstract’, Emily Lambert.
2002 Western Mail, ‘Artists Rise to a Challenge’, Mel Gooding.
2002 ‘A Propos’, National Gallery and Museum of Wales, Mike Tooby.
2002 Western Mail ‘Bay Buiding with a New York Feel’,Karen Price.
2001 Hello Magazine ‘Diary of the Week’.
2001 ‘Feed the Beast’, B.B.C. Television.
2000 ‘On Painting’ for Ysbryd/Spirit Wales, Norbet Lynton.

Ashby Media, New York.
Harlem Homes, New York.
Feederle-Schlaffer, Zurich, Switzerland.
Allied Irish Bank, Wales, U.K.
Cynon Valley Museum, Wales.
University of Dallas, Texas.
University of Glamorgan, Wales.
Contemporary Art Society, London.
Wales International Center, New York.
Mosaic Information Solutions Ltd., Aberdeen, Scotland.

www.martynjonesart.com
www.robertsteelegallery.com
www.56groupwales-art.co.uk
www.wikipedia.org