‘Taffiators’ in exhibition take off
Welsh aviation artists - nicknamed
‘The Taffiators’ - are reaching for the skies with an
exhibition ‘first’ in Wales.
Members of the prestigious Guild of
Aviation Artists, they will be displaying their work at
a month-long exhibition at the Sunderland Trust’s newly
opened Fleets to Flying Boats Visitor Centre in Pembroke
Dock. The exhibition is being sponsored by Valero
Pembroke Refinery.
Pembrokeshire born artist Tim
Jenkins, now of Felinfoel, James Field of Pontyberem,
John Wynne Hopkins of Llanelli and Ieuan Layton-Matthews
of Gowerton will be exhibiting along with three other
Guild members.
The exhibition opens on Friday 24th
August at the Fleets to Flying Boats Centre, the latest
initiative of the Sunderland Trust which already
operates a centre focusing on the town’s unique
connections with flying boats, particularly the famous
Short Sunderland.
“This is the first time the Guild
has been involved in an exhibition in Wales and we are
delighted to take up the Sunderland Trust’s invitation,”
said Tim Jenkins. “Over 70 paintings will be on view and
for sale and they cover all eras of aviation - from the
earliest days of flying to the latest jets and there are
also several military subjects from campaigns in Bosnia
and Afghanistan. Sunderlands, of course, feature
prominently.
“There is a strong Welsh flavour to
the paintings, ranging from pioneers like Horace Watkins
of Cardiff, Great War fighter ace Ira Jones of St Clears
and his Second World War counterpart, Taffy Higginson,
to jets at Brawdy and search and rescue Sea King
helicopters.”
Alison Kavanagh, of Valero Pembroke
Refinery, added: “We are delighted to continue our
support of the Sunderland Trust and are thrilled at what
they have achieved to date. Valero are very pleased to
sponsor this first ever Welsh exhibition by the Guild. I
have had a preview of the exhibition and it is very
impressive.”
* The exhibition will be open
Tuesdays to Saturdays inclusive, 10 am to 4 pm. The
Fleets to Flying Boats Centre is at the Fleet Surgeon’s
House adjoining the gated entrance to the Royal Dockyard
at Pembroke Dock, close to the ferry terminal.
Captions:
Artists Ieuan Layton-Matthews
and Tim Jenkins (left), of the Guild of Aviation
Artists, contemplate where to display the next painting
at the Fleets to Flying Boats Centre.
‘Taffiators’ Ieuan
Layton-Matthews, James Field and Tim Jenkins are
pictured with Alison Kavanagh of Valero Pembroke
Refinery and Sunderland Trust volunteers Malcolm Miles
and Alan Davies.
PICTURES: Martin Cavaney
Photography.