Welcome to Ardent Gallery’s Website. We are an independent Art Gallery based in Brecon, Wales. We display a diverse range of artworks from both local and Welsh Artists and Artists from further afield. Our varied collection means there is a wide range of artwork to choose from. We hold a variety of exhibitions throughout the year. Ardent Gallery Open Art is definitely a highlight as well as The Celebration of Welsh Contemporary Painting! We regularly update our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram with images of new artwork we have available, follow us and have a browse, if you would like more information or would like to make a purchase please get in touch by referring to our phone number/email address or by filling out the form on our contact page.

The Celebration of Welsh Contemporary Painting

The Celebration of Welsh Contemporary Painting at Ardent Gallery – 4th July – 3rd August 2024

Featuring paintings by: Beatrice Williams, Chantel Ridley, John Wynne Hopkins, Joy Saunders and Matt Williams.

Ardent Gallery is so excited to once again be one of the 16 CoWCP venues holding exhibitions across Wales! Here is a bit about the ethos of the celebration – Celebration of Welsh Contemporary Painting (CoWCP) aims to demonstrate the vibrancy and talent of painting in Wales. Through a series of exhibitions across a significant number of venues in South, Mid and West Wales, CoWCP represents some of Wales’s most significant painters as well as those who are up and coming. This is the second time Ardent has been part of the Celebration and we are really looking forward to welcoming new Artists and artworks to our space once again.

We will be holding an open evening 4th July 6.30 – 8pm at the Gallery. All Welcome.

Previous Exhibition: Celebrating Women Artists in 2024

Our most recent exhibition “Celebrating Women Artists in 2024” was on display throughout Brecon Women’s Festival 2024 and also acknowledged International Women’s Day! 8th March – 30th March 2024

. Our last exhibition at Ardent Gallery celebrated Women Artists both in Wales and from further afield as well as Women like our Manager Gemma Schiebe and Gallery Owner Clare Dent working in the Arts industry today. It featured many highly skilled and prolific women artists – such as Dawn Harries, Gigi Jones, Louise Collis, Susan Barber and Gillian Mcdonald to just name a few and showcased their varying approaches to capturing a variety of subjects including the Welsh Landscape and our beloved surroundings. Madeleine Vale’s beautiful ceramic pieces featured also.

Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 5pm

OUR CURRENT DISPLAY FEATURES A VARIETY OF WONDERFUL ARTWORK FROM SOME OF OUR REGULAR EXHIBITORS AS WELL AS SOME NEW ARTISTS. A WIDE VARIETY OF ARTWORK ON DISPLAY FOR YOU TO BROWSE AROUND.

About Us

Ardent Gallery is an independent business located on the High street of Brecon, in the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park. The building houses two floors of Art Gallery, a coffee shop serving Illy Coffee and homemade cakes, a bespoke picture framing service and an art supplies shop. As well as having a wide range of artworks for you to browse around and choose from, we also sell a variety of cards and gifts, ceramics and jewellery.

Exhibitions

We always have a versatile and eclectic collection of artwork on display across two floors of Ardent Gallery for you to browse during your visit. However, we do also hold exhibitions throughout the year, solo exhibitions, group shows, exhibition features within our main collection display and open exhibitions. Ardent Gallery Open Art is a highlight of our exhibition calendar, usually held in July. We are also delighted to be part of The Celebration of Contemporary Welsh Painting and hosting an exhibition as part of the series.

Artist Feature: Gillian Mcdonald

Gillian McDonald is an acclaimed watercolour artist who specialises in painting the remoter parts of the British Isles. From the Highlands and Islands of Scotland to the English moors and the rugged coastline of Wales, Gillian is to be found seeking out the dramatic landscapes and seascapes which are the subject of her distinctive paintings. Her innate understanding of the subtleties of different light effects and her bold use of colour are the hallmarks that make for the harmony of her highly collectable paintings and prints. She has published over 200 prints in limited edition, many of which have sold out. We stock a variety of Limited Edition Prints by Gillian Mcdonald at Ardent Gallery.

Artist Feature: Kerry Darlington

Ardent Gallery is proud to be the ONLY GALLERY IN WALES exhibiting and selling work by Kerry Darlington. Kerry Darlington was born in 1974 in Rhyl, North Wales. She was inspired by magical fairy tale picture books and stories during her childhood, and held a particular fascination for Arthur Rackham’s intricate pen and ink work. This influenced her to take a degree in Illustration, with intentions of becoming a children’s book Illustrator. During this period she discovered the Pre-Raphaelite artists and Art Nouveau. She found this work so hauntingly beautiful that it captivated her completely and it still has a profound effect on her own art. In the years that followed, Kerry began to build a reputation for her original, decorative designs using 3D elements and resin which became hugely popular, focusing primarily on trees and nature. Inspiration for these was taken from the Art Nouveau period, particularly Klimt’s infamous ‘Tree of Life’. Today, she continues to paint themes of myth and legend, poetry and stories.