Sir John Kyffin Williams

Sir John "Kyffin" Williams was a Welsh landscape painter who lived at Pwllfanogl on the island of .

He loved to paint the landscapes around his home in north . He strived to show the beauty of the area in different seasons throughout the year through his art. Timeline

1918: Born on 9th May in , North Wales.

1937: His first school was Moreton Hall. He later attended Shrewsbury School.

After leaving school, Kyffin joined the army. He joined the 6th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers where he later became a lieutenant.

1941: After a failed medical examination, he was released from army service and was encouraged to take up art for his own wellbeing and health.

1941-1944: He studied at the Slade School of Art, .

1944 (to 1973): He taught at in London. He later became the Senior Art Master there. Timeline

1949: His first one-man exhibition was held in London.

1968: He received the prestigious Winston Churchill Fellowship scholarship. This enabled him to travel to Patagonia to paint Y Wladfa; the Welsh settlement in South America.

1974: He was made president of the Royal Cambrian Academy. He also became a member of the Royal Academy in 1974.

1995: He was awarded the Glyndŵr Award. This was for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales’.

2006: Sir John ‘Kyffin’ Williams died on September 1st 2006. He was 88 years old. Fascinating Facts

In February 2011, it was announced that his paintings of He was christened John Williams. Patagonia would be shown for the first time.

A collection of his works fetched more than £150,000 at ‘Kyffin’ was his grandmother's maiden name. auction in 2013.

One of his oil paintings was stolen from the Southbank HisCentre father in 2014was a by bank a thief manager. who stuffed the frame in a toilet cubicle.

HisA biography works can of be Kyffin seen Williams, in a permanent ‘Obsessed’, exhibition was at Oriel Ynyspublished Môn in6 yearsAnglesey. after his death. Paintings

Kyffin was famous for painting the landscapes around his home in north Wales.

What can you see in this painting?

Which colours has Kyffin used in this painting, ‘Autumn Waunfawr’? Task: Find an image of the painting of Is it similar to somewhere you have ‘Autumn Waunfawr’ seen?

Do you like this landscape?

What do you notice about the paint? Paintings

Find an image of the painting ‘Snowdon in Autumn’

What can you see in this painting?

Which colours has Kyffin used in this painting?

Is it similar to somewhere you have seen?

Look closely at this painting. What do you notice about the paint and the brush strokes? Techniques

• Kyffin Williams used thick paint when painting landscapes.

• He used bold brush strokes.

• He liked to capture the natural light of landscapes at different times of the year.

• He used colours that reflected the earthy and natural tones and shades of the landscape.

Task: What images of Sir John Kyffin Williams’ paintings can you find that demonstrate the above techniques?