© John Uzzell Edwards
As Britain succumbs to the icy folds of winter, the National Waterfront Museum is opening a timely exhibition which somehow manages to conjure the diverse ideas of warmth, colour, history and abstraction.
The paintings of John Uzzell Edwards are inspired by his world-famous collection of Welsh quilts and blankets, and the abstract churn of patterns, textures, materials and rhythms hide a quantity of strong social histories that mirror the industrial heritage collection of the museum.
Some of the quilts Edwards has collected, some of which can be seen on display here, include a Swansea Crazy Quilt made from scraps of velvet from a pre-war milliners shop in the town.
A Llanelli Quilt is made entirely from miner's shirts dating to the late 19th century, and a Log Cabin Quilt features scraps from women's working clothes from the 1890s, including the purple tiny-flowered cotton of maid’s dresses.
Originally from the Rhymney Valley, Edwards has lived in the Upper Swansea Valley for the past 33 years. He remembers the role of quilts in his childhood in the small mining village of Deri.
"I always had Welsh quilts and blankets on my bed, so they have been a big part of my family life for many years," he says. "When I paint, I don't just copy them, but use the patterns, materials, meanderings and rhythms as stimulation.
"I'm delighted to have the paintings displayed at the National Waterfront Museum. They link in suitably to the theme of telling the story of people in Wales during the industrial revolution."
Visitors can also see a short film about John's life as a painter filmed at his studio in the Upper Swansea Valley. Prints of some of John paintings are on sale in the Museum shop.
More from the exhibition:
© John Uzzell Edwards
© John Uzzell Edwards
© John Uzzell Edwards
