Art in the Chapel

Throughout September 2012, the Islwyn Memorial Chapel, Babell, in Cwmfellinfach, will play host to a short season of exhibitions, organised under the auspices of the Community Partnership.
Concentrating on the work of two self-taught local artists with widely different styles, the event begins on Sunday 2nd September, with an official launch, attended by Maria Retter, Acting Head of Art, Coleg Gwent, Crosskeys, who will open the event.
This will be the first opportunity to view the work of Phyllis Rousen from Blackwood. Her exhibition will run for two weeks until Friday 14th September.
On Sunday 16th September, the second exhibition will be launched (again by Maria Retter) to focus on the work of Rebekah Green from Wattsville. This exhibition will close on Friday 28th.
The exhibitions are open to the public from 3.00pm to 9.00pm Sunday to Friday inclusive.
Conveniences are not available at the Chapel.
For further information contact: Ralph M. Caple 01495 270692


Art in the Chapel featuring two talented local artists in their first solo exhibitions.

Phyllis Rousen (exhibiting 2-9-2012 - 14-9-2012).

Rebekah Green (exhibiting 16-9-2012 to 28-9-2012).

Phyllis Rousen
Born in Worthing to a half-Welsh mother, Phyllis has spent the majority of her life in Monmouthshire (Gwent). She enjoyed drawing and painting as a child, but it wasn’t until 1986, when she enrolled in an Art Class at Oakdale Comprehensive School, that she began painting seriously. Her ability with paint and brush was immediately apparent to the tutor, who left Phyllis to her own devices.
Her motivation to continue painting came from the country walks she shared with other ramblers, exploring the network of paths that criss-cross the county of Gwent. She photographed scenes along her route as reminders, and as subjects for future paintings.
Her style is “Realism”, painting what she sees as realistically, and honestly as possible using the medium of Water Colour. How successful she is can be judged by the apparent ease with which her paintings sell.
On one occasion she entered a painting in a small local competition held by the W.I, and won first prize. She also won first prize at a competition held at the 1988 Bedwellty Agricultural Show with a painting of Gelligroes Mill. The painting is included in the current exhibition. Also, some twenty years ago, she contributed four paintings to a charity exhibition organized by Cheshire Homes, and was delighted when three of them were sold at the event.
This is the first time Phyllis has exhibited her work as a lone artist, with many of the works having been “borrowed” from their proud owners for the occasion. There is little doubt that this exhibition will widen her fan base considerably.

Rebekah Green
Wattsville Born, and still resident in the village with her husband and two children, what free time Rebekah gets is spent in her studio, vigorously applying paint to canvas, as her imagination powers her frenzied brush strokes. This energetic approach generates powerful and immediate images of her various subjects.
Self taught she attributes much of her interpretation in art to the influences of her artistic Grandmother, to whom she was very close. Encouraged to look for patterns, and shapes in her subjects that are not automatically obvious, her view of the world can seem surreal, a style transmitted to her canvasses with great effect.
Inspiration also came from the Artist Claude Monet, whose use of colour continues to influence her own works of contrasting colours.
Her preferred medium is oil, but she enjoys experimenting with different, and mixed media, anything that satisfies her passion for colour and design.
This is Rebekah’s first exhibition- an opportunity not to be missed!