62 years ago on 9th April 1955 mum and Dad married. It is now 20 years ago on 9th April 1997 that I married my husband…time moves so fast, but memories remain and this is one of the drivers for me to share dad’s lifetime of work….his passion and joy.
Dad would have been ninety nine at the end of next month and I fully intend to add more of his works before that time. Life is mad until school term is over and then I will get down to it. I wanted to highlight one of my favourite images of the valleys – it is so carefully painted and the detail shows the deep fondness he had for his childhood days and the freedom of the mountain behind his home. Although dilapidated, the mine does not look sad and hopeless, but actually quite beautiful in a serene way. Love you Dad.xx
This is a very poignant image and has quite an impact even though it is just a quickly coloured sketch and not the finished product. That is exactly why I get so much pleasure from looking at Dad’s sketch books!
I have just spent some time out relaxing and enjoying looking through another of Dad’s art folders Full of tiny treasures and sparking some wonderful memories. I have added many of them to the various sections and hope you will enjoy looking at them. They are really inspirational and make me want to get out and sketch,,,,,,although I can only dream about being as good as Dad!! Still, the beauty of art is the joy it gives to those who try it out I guess!!
My father Graham Walsh was born in Ferndale in the Rhondda Valley on 30th August 1917 into a mining family. He was the second of four children and had a very happy childhood playing on the mountain behind their house. At school he worked hard and soon found that he had a passion for drawing and painting. When he left school he started a course at Cardiff School of Art, but sadly WW2 came along and he volunteered for the RAF serving throughout the war in the RAF Signals with a radar unit mainly in Egypt. He did not give up his passion even then and took every opportunity to draw and paint the things around him as you will see in his works.
On returning from war his parents had moved to London to live in Finchley where his father had taken up the post of General Secretary of NACODS. Not wishing to give up his art Graham enrolled in Finchley School of Art and Design and did his diploma there under the watchful eye of JC Moody.
I have started this blog as I feel that his art is something I want to share with others. My house and loft are full of his work and it seems a shame that it only gives pleasure to my family, when, in the modern world, it could reach many more people.
Enjoy!
Graham Walsh 