Join us at the opening at GROW of ‘10 YEARS OF RECENT PAINTINGS’ on Thursday 2 June 2022 to immerse yourself in the works of Plymouth-based artists Llyr Davies and Lee Stonehouse to mark ten years since they met and studied Fine Art at The University of Plymouth. 

COMMUNITIES THAT CLAIM YOU

A series of paintings have been chosen to to explore themes on which communities claim the artists, why Plymouth became their home and where they might go next. 

CIRCUMSTANCE & CHOICE

Lee Stonehouse was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, where his family originated, moving during childhood to Plymouth. He later spent 15 years working in print production in London, Edinburgh and Bahrain.  Llyr Davies was born in Port Tywyn, Wales and lived there until his 20s. He then moved to Plymouth to study and has worked in the city since. Through both circumstance and choice these two artists are both deeply connected to Plymouth and call it their home. 

‘10 YEARS’ is an important landmark in their journey as only a small selection of paintings out of the hundreds which exist will be presented in this show, as they attempt to unpack their attachment to their environments, past and present, rural and urban, and to address their own sense of time.

PART OF PLYMOUTH’S FIRST THURSDAY

The opening on Thursday 2 June is part of Plymouth’s First Thursday, an initiative launched in 2021 giving the people of Plymouth and its visitors access to cultural events and experiences in multiple venues across the city on the first Thursday of every month. Other venues showing exhibitions on Thursday 2 June include Farleys and Minerva, #PlymouthFirstThursday

ABOUT LLYR DAVIES
Llyr was born in Porth Tywyn, South Wales in 1991 and moved to Plymouth, to study Fine Art at Plymouth University in 2012. Humanity is a key theme to his work through the use of myths, space, domestic space, urban and architectural form, coastline, moorlands and storytelling.  Davies has exhibited work in Amsterdam, Holland as part of the Hans Brinker Budget Trophy (2014). Llyr has also co organized contemporary exhibition, Shambles (2017) group shows at Plymouth Art Weekender, Compound (2017) and has had solo shows at Ocean Studios (2020) www.llyrdavies.com @_llyrdavies_ 

ABOUT LEE STONEHOUSE
Born in County Tyrone Ireland, Lee moved to Plymouth as a child. He gained a Diploma in Printing in 1996 from the Plymouth College of Art. He returned to studying in 2015 with a First Class Honours degree in Fine Art in 2015 from then a MA Research into painting in 2018 from the Plymouth College of Art. Lee is inspired by natural processes and forces, and his work deciphers layers of art history, personal emotions, attachments and sensations. 

ABOUT PLYMOUTH’S FIRST THURSDAY INITIATIVE
Launched in October 2021, Plymouth’s First Thursday initiative aims to give the people of Plymouth and its visitors access to cultural events and experiences in multiple venues across the city on the first Thursday of every month. Other venues showing exhibitions on Thursday 2 June will be Farleys and Minerva #PlymouthFirstThursday

RSVP - PRIVATE VIEW - THURSDAY 2 JUNE 2022 (5-9PM)