Sir Kyffin Williams, Wales' foremost artist, 88
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Wales' foremost artist, Sir Kyffin Williams, has died after a long
battle with cancer.
Royal Academician Sir Kyffin, who was 88, died at a nursing home on
Anglesey.
He found the inspiration for much of his work in oils and drawings in
his native Snowdonia and also visited Patagonia and Venice.
Culture Minister Alun Pugh paid tribute to Sir Kyffin as an
"outstanding artist". His death was "a great loss to the world of
visual arts", he said.
Mr Pugh said: "I suppose the images that stick in my mind are those
fantastic oil paintings he did of Snowdonia and Crib Goch and the
Glyders and as well as being a very popular artist, of course, he was a
really nice man."
He is the greatest artist that Wales has ever had.- there will never
be another Kyffin Williams
Albany Gallery's Mary Yapp
The Llangefni-born artist was knighted in 1999 and was an honorary
fellow of the University of Wales colleges Swansea, Bangor and
Aberystwyth.
Sir Kyffin had been suffering from both lung and prostate cancer for
some time.
He turned to art after ill health stopped him in his first choice
career of becoming a soldier, going first to the Slade School of Art in
London and later working for many years as a teacher in the city.
His distinctive landscapes and drawings of farmers and animals in oils
soon gave him a worldwide reputation, and Sir Kyffin exhibited
regularly in London and in Wales.
Sir Kyffin also travelled to Patagonia in 1968 when he was awarded the
Winston Churchill Fellowship to record the Welsh community there.
HAVE YOUR SAY
A part of Wales died with him but, thankfully, he will live on in his
wonderful art
David Goadby, Gwynedd
More recently, he was also an outspoken critic of the contemporary art
scene, saying some artists were more interested in fame and that much
of modern art was "totally unlikeable".
But, paying tribute. Mr Pugh said: "I remember at a meeting he was
absolutely beastly about modern art but he did it with a twinkle in his
eye and I don't think anyone could take offence at that."
Sir Kyffin, who spent the last years of his life on Anglesey and was
president of the Royal Cambrian Academy in Conwy, was a strong
supporter of local galleries and charities, often donating his
paintings to help in fundraising efforts.
Mary Yapp, from Cardiff's Albany gallery who is Sir Kyffin's agent in
Wales, said she would miss her close friend terribly.
"I was actually with him on Wednesday and although he was weak he was
quite cheerful and he was talking about his forthcoming exhibition.
"He was an amazing character. He was a marvellous wit and all those
close to him are going to miss him for what he stood for.
"He is the greatest artist that Wales has ever had.- there will never
be another Kyffin Williams," said Mrs Yapp.