On 25 July a major new exhibition celebrating the life and work of the acclaimed Welsh artist Mary Lloyd Jones will open in the Gregynog Gallery in the National Library of Wales.

For more than sixty years, Mary Lloyd Jones has developed a distinctive visual language shaped by the land, language and her identity. This exhibition explores the rich and interconnected themes that have shaped one of Wales’ most important artistic voices. 

Drawing on an extensive archive recently donated to the Library and on works by Mary which were already part of the collection at the Library, the Mary Lloyd Jones: Layers exhibition invites visitors to celebrate a life of colourful creativity.

Featuring some of her best-known works alongside previously unseen pieces, the exhibition offers an insight into her creative journey. 

Rhodri Llwyd Morgan, Chief Executive of the National Library of Wales said:

“Over the years, Mary Lloyd Jones has been a valued and generous friend to the Library. Thanks to her, we are privileged to hold an extensive collection of her remarkable work within the National Art Collection, ensuring that they are safeguarded for future generations to enjoy, study and be inspired by. This exhibition provides a wonderful opportunity to share some of these treasures and to celebrate her her exceptional artistic achievements and her lasting contribution to the culture of Wales. We encourage everyone tto take advantage of this opportunity to visit and enjoy her incredible work.”

Mari Elin Jones, Interpretation Officer at the National Library of Wales and exhibition curator said:

“Working with Mary’s archive to curate this exhibition has been a real privilege. The exhibition offers an insight into an artist who has spent more than six decades developing a truly unique way of seeing and interpreting the world. Through this remarkable collection, the curiosity and creativity that have made Mary one of Wales’s most important artistic voices are brought vividly to life.”

Morfudd Bevan, Art Curator at the National Library of Wales said: 

“We are extremely grateful to Mary and her family for gifting such valuable works to the Library’s art collection. The collection includes rare examples from every period and medium of the artist’s career – one of Wales’s most important artists, who has inspired, and continues to inspire, so many today.”

Many of the works on display show how Mary Lloyd Jones was inspired by her childhood in rural Ceredigion and her re-connection with the Welsh landscape following her return to Wales. The exhibition also reveals how she was also influenced by new ideas in the wider art world, such as abstract art, geometric art, performance, music and feminist art. 

A lively and creative programme of events and activities will coincide with the exhibition, which will include a sketching session on the Vale of Rheidol train – an area that is very prominent in Mary’s work, an abstract painting session with the Almanac Bar to encourage future talents and an evening to celebrate Mary Lloyd Jones: A Life in Colour. All event details will be published on the Library’s website.

Entry to the exhibition is free and is open to visitors Mon – Sat 09:30 – 17:00.