Artist: Clive Burnell

Artist’s Statement

Clive Burnell was born in Pencoed, South Wales in 1950. He left school at 15 years of age and worked in heavy industry for a while before joining his local police force, the Glamorgan Constabulary. In 1973 he moved to East Devon where he still resides with his wife Jan and after serving 31 years as a police officer Clive retired in December 2000.

Throughout his police career he devoted much of his spare time to painting and studying art. In 2003, as a result of favourable reviews and increased demand for his work, he became a full time artist. He has since exhibited his work at galleries throughout Wales and the West Country. In 2004 he won the runner-up prize in the ‘Spirit of Llŷn’ art competition before taking the main prize in the same competition in 2006.

Clive Burnell works principally in acrylic but occasionally uses oil, combining both mediums. His paintings, many of which contain abstract elements, are designed to evoke images and memories of remote landscapes, both in Wales and the West Country. Using a variety of techniques he builds a painting over a period of weeks, months and sometimes years. This is Clive’s first solo exhibition at Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw.