Artist statement
Concepts
My desire to produce powerful, emotional paintings which are read for their content, their colour and their abstract elements. I have to be emotionally and mentally taken over by my paintings. They are seemingly direct ; I paint about the studio, the kitchen, the artist, my children, childhood memories. So imaginative and observational elements co-exist in each work.
Influences
The human figure, Feminism, Emotions; own cultural identity (European, Welsh, Australasian); own gender (Female)
Collections
Arts Council of England, Collection
Usher Gallery, Lincoln
BBC Wales, Cardiff
National Museum of Wales, Cardiff
Glynvivian Museum and Art Gallery, Swansea
Newport Museum and Art Gallery
Contemporary Art Society of Wales
Martin Tinney Gallery
Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Wolverhampton Art Gallery
New Hall College Cambridge
Current and forthcoming events
- May - June 2013: The Rivalry of Flowers, Kings Place Gallery, London (more info)
Qualifications and training
- 1976 BA Hons, Fine Art, St Martins College of Art, London
- 1972 Foundation Course, Loughborough College of Art
Solo exhibitions
- 2010 Shani Rhys James 2010, Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff
- 2010 Selected Paintings, Hillsboro Fine Art, Dublin
- 2009 Two Ateliers, Connaught Brown, London
- 2009 Two Ateliers, Connaught Brown, London (more info)
- 2008 Shani Rhys James New Paintings, Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff
- 2008 Martin Tinney Gallery, Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff (more info)
- 2005 Layers, Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff
- 2004 The Black Cot, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth
- 2004 The Black Cot Touring Show, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton
- 2003 Recent Paintings, Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff
- 2003 Significant Paintings, Museum of Modern Art Wales, Machynlleth
- 2000 The Inner Room, Stephen Lacey Gallery, London
- 1998 Facing The Self, Oriel 31, New Town
- 1997 Facing The Self, Initiated By Mostyn, Llandudno
- 1997 Facing The Self, Oriel, The Arts Council of Wales Gallery, Cardiff
- 1997 Facing The Self, Reeds Wharf Gallery, London
- 1996 Re-Visions, Midlands Art Centre
- 1994 Blood Ties, Carmarthen Gallery
- 1994 Newport Museum and Art Gallery
- 1994 Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham
- 1994 Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea
- 1993 National Museum of Wales, Llanberis
- 1993 Wrexham Library Arts Centre
- 1993 Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff
- 1992 Beaux Arts, Bath
Group exhibitions
- 2011 Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Competition, Kings Place Gallery, Islington (more info)
- 2011 Moist, Tactile Bosch, Cardiff (more info)
- 2011 Polemically Small, Garboushian Gallery, Los Angeles
- 2010 Face Value Portraiture in Art, Newport Museum and Art Gallery, Newport, South Wales
- 2010 Eigse Carlow Exhibition, Visual, Carlow, Republic of Ireland
- 2010 Gallery Artists, John Cacciola Gallery, New York
- 2009 Mae Newid yn Change, Gallerie Good Friday, Brussels
- 2008 On Reflection, Glyn Vivian Museum and Art Gallery, Swansea
- 2008 'Romance' exhibition at DACS, DACS Gallery, London (more info)
- 2008 British Artists of Poitou Charente, Maison du Patrimoine, Tusson, France, Angouleme (more info)
- 2008 Connaught Brown, Connaught Brown, London (more info)
- 2007 How many steps to addiction....?, Tactile Bosch Studios, Cardiff
- 2004 The Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
- 2004 An Art-Accustomed Eye, National Museum and Gallery, Cardiff
- 2003 Jerwood Prize Exhibition, Jerwood Space, London
- 2002 Lets Panic Later, Kunstlerhaus Dortmund, Dortmund
- 2002 On Home Ground, Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno
- 2001 20th & 21st Century Art, Water Hall, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
- 2001 Intimacy, Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno
- 2000 Featured Artist, Eigse Carlow Festival, Carlow Ireland
- 1999 Something to Say III - contemporary collection of women artists, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton
- 1999 20th Century Art, Gas Hall Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham
- 1999 Pure Paint, Stephen Lacey Gallery, London
- 1996 In the Looking Glass, Usher Gallery Touring Exhibition, Lincoln
- 1994 BP National Portrait Awards, London
- 1994 Disclosures, Mostyn Art Gallery
- 1994 Artist At Work, Walker Art Gallery
- 1994 Hunting/Observer winners exhibition, Royal College
- 1993 Reclaiming The Madonna, Usher Gallery and Tour
- 1993 Welsh Artists In San Francisco
- 1992 National Eisteddfod of Wales
- 1992 Beaux Arts, Bath
- 1992 Two Person Show, Aberystwyth
- 1991 Mostyn Art Gallery, Llandudno
Curated projects
- 2009 Mae Newid yn Change, The Good Friday Gallery Rue d'Ophem 55, Brussels (more info)
Competitions, prizes and awards
- 2006 Creative Wales Award, Arts Council of Wales, Cardiff
- 2006 Awarded M.B.E. in New Years Honours List, London, Buckingham Palace
- 2003 Jerwood Painting Prize
- 1994 2nd Prize National Portrait Award
- 1994 BBC Wales Visual Art Award
- 1993 1st Prize Hunting/Observer Art Awards
- 1992 Gold Medal for Fine Art National Eisteddfod of Wales
- 1991 1st prize Mostyn Open
Other
- 2008 Hereford College of Arts, Hereford College of Arts, Hereford (more info)
Web links - gallery/work/projects
