Biography

Robert A. Newell trained at Wimbledon School of Art and Goldsmiths College. He holds a doctorate from the University of Wales for research into landscape painting and its current critical contexts.

Memberships
1993 Guild of St George
1997 Axis - National Artists Register
2001 www.artcymru.co.uk
2002 Royal Cambrian Academy

Research interests
Newell's work in painting and drawing has passed through certain distinct phases in relation to places, themes and formal concerns. Flat expanses of sea, beaches and salt marshes provided an early starting point. Subsequently he retained certain formal and spatial qualities of this subject matter in a series of devastated cityscapes.
Newell's present work is based on particular places in Wales. In this respect the work is topographical. His ultimate concerns however centre on the rhythmic organisation of detail and mass produced in the landscape by the interplay of physical forces over time. In relation to varying conditions of light and atmosphere, these visual elements express a certain character contributing to the totality of the landscape's aesthetic power.
Currently Newell is developing a series of works dealing with the theme of rocks and clouds: the adventures of matter in formative and destructive processes, mutations of structure and pattern, tensions between order and chaos. In connection with this, he has received financial support from the Arts Council of Wales to undertake a period of continuous drawing. This will contribute to developing a body of work for a thematic exhibition.
Philosophically, Newell is exploring relationships between subjectivity and natural phenomena in ways that involve aesthetics, history of science, and metaphysics. His objective is to consolidate a constellation of ideas and sources into a viable critical doctrine underpinning landscape representation and aesthetics.

Research students currently under supervision
William Thomas
Richard Monahan

Some recent exhibitions

• 2002 Royal Cambrian Summer Exhibition

• Academy

• Wrexham Arts Centre Wales Drawing Biennale

• Aberystwyth Arts Centre Wales Drawing Biennale

• 2003 Oriel Theatr Clwyd Wales Drawing Biennale

• Royal Cambrian Academy Summer Exhibition

• Brecknock Museum and ‘Environment into Landscape: Paintings and Art Gallery Drawings by Robert A. Newell'

• 2004 Royal Cambrian Academy Summer Exhibition

• 2005 Royal Cambrian Academy Summer Exhibition

• Aberystwyth Arts Centre Wales Drawing Biennale

• Wrexham Arts Centre Wales Drawing Biennale

• 2006 Royal Cambrian Academy Summer Exhibition

• National Botanic Garden ‘Landscapes of Wales' (Group exhibition)

• 2007 Royal Cambrian Academy Summer Exhibition

Some recent publications

• 2003 Environment into Landscape: Paintings and Drawings by Robert A. Newell (Exhibition catalogue)

• 2004 ‘Andrew Lambirth, David Tress: Lluniadau Drawings ...' and ‘Clare Rendell, David Tress' in The David Jones Journal, V, 1&2, 2004, pp. 158-61

• 2005 ‘Challenging the Negative Critique of Landscape' in Humphries, G. and Williams, M. (eds.), Presenting and Representing Environments, Dortrecht: Springer, 2005, pp. 137-151

• 2007 ‘Olion' in Olion: Gareth Hugh Davies, Carmarthen: Oriel Myrddin Gallery, 2007, pp. 10-17

Recent public lectures

• 2003 Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery `The Negative Critique of Landscape`

• 2004 University of Wales Conference Centre, Gregynog `Presenting and Representing Environments `(Paper presented; ‘Challenging the Negative Critique of Landscape')

• Glynn Vivian Art Gallery ` The Drawings of John Ruskin`

• 2005 Oriel Myrddin `The Negative Critique of Landscape`

• 2007 Oriel Myrddin `Romantic Landscape in Critical and Philosophical Contexts`

• 2008 Glynn Vivian Art Gallery `Romantic Landscape and Romantic Philosophy`

Recent funding awards

• 2003 The Arts Council of Wales. Funding support for the exhibition ‘Environment into Landscape: Paintings and Drawings by Robert A. Newell' at Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery

• 2007 The Arts Council of Wales. Project grant for ‘Drawing Towards Painting: Process and Realisation: Environment into Landscape'