“The sense of power and the great surge of energy that this earth provides is all I want my paintings to share”

Published

1 year ago

November 11, 2024

For as long as he can remember, Neyland-born Bob Reeves has shared a close and all-embracing relationship with the natural world around him.

As a child, he’d hunt tadpoles, gather cockles, dive for tallies made from broken pieces of china and follow the flight of the seabirds that nested around the Cleddau. The images he observed were then captured by his little hands using watercolours which his mother had bought him from the local shop.

“Painting or drawing the things that I saw was something that I’ve always had to do,” he tells The Pembrokeshire Herald.

“I didn’t know whether I was any good at art, and to be perfectly honest, I still don’t. But I’ve always had to reach out for a pencil, a pen, paints or some charcoal to try and capture all those things I’ve felt.”

And this is what possibly makes Reeves one of Pembroekshire’s most powerful and enigmatic artists. He doesn’t simply paint an image, but uses it to convey the overwhelming emotion that the image originally prompted.

“People are always telling me how wonderful it must be to shut myself away in my studio and paint. ‘What a lovely, relaxing hobby it must be,’ they say. But my God, it’s intense, and it’s that intensity that invariably makes me feel bad tempered.

“I’m conscious of the earth as a living thing and it’s this sense of power, this great surge of energy which I then want to transfer onto my paintings.”

Anyone who has viewed Reeves’ work will know just how intensely he captures the all-embracing natural energy that the earth contains.

“I suppose it’s probably an advantage that I never went to art college and haven’t had a single art lesson since I was a 14-year-old pupil at Pembroke Grammar School.

“I’m a free spirit and this means that I break a lot of rules when I work.”

‘Atlantic Symphony, Freshwater West’: Bob Reeves

Bob’s first broken rule came as a three-year-old toddler growing up at the family home in Kensington Road, Neyland.

“I decided to draw a teddy bear on my bedroom wall using a red crayon, and when my mother saw it, she didn’t know whether to give me a row or praise me. But it must have looked pretty good because the next thing she did was go out to the shop and buy me a little tin of watercolours.”

As a schoolboy, Bob used watercolours to paint all his technical biology drawings and he was renowned by his teachers and fellow students alike for the caricature drawings and portraits he drew of them using a pen. And it goes without saying that his sense of humour often ignited his teachers’ ire.

After leaving school, he spent a short time working for the Civil Service before joining the police force as a constable. But then, on October 21, 1966, Bob was involved in one of the most catastrophic tragedies ever to hit Wales. The Aberfan disaster.

“I was there within eight hours of it happening, and I stayed there for the following eight days,” he said.

“The things I saw and the grief that I could feel all around me, has played hell with me ever since.

“I was 22 at the time, I was a young father, and I have to say that this wasn’t a happy time in my life. Yes, I’ve always had the ability to paint and to draw, but this shut it all down. Aberfan stretched my emotions to something which I didn’t think it was possible to feel.”

Listening to Bob speak about Aberfan, it soon becomes clear that the trauma he encountered remains with him to this day.

“It wasn’t until I left the police force and started working at the oil refinery [in Milford Haven], that I started painting again,” he continues. “And I suppose that this was when my work began to evolve more into what it has become today. Whatever that raw emotion may be whenever I see a landscape or some other natural thing that makes me feel its power, then this is the raw emotion that I want to get across in my work.”

His paintings display an acute empathy of colour and an intense sense of movement and they have been sold to buyers in the United States of America, Peru, Canada, Australia and throughout the UK including one which is currently displayed in Whitehall, London.

“I’ve yet to go and see it,” he says. “Yes, it’s nice that a part of Pembrokeshire has been taken to Whitehall, but I’m not particularly bothered about going to see it. That’s not what I’m about.

“I’m here to feel the power around me and try to convey it through my paints.”

This month a collection of Bob Reeves’ work can be viewed at a Christmas exhibition that takes place at the Waterfront Gallery, Milford Haven. The exhibition opens on November 23 and will continue until Christmas.

Crime

Search continues for attempted murder suspect after Carmarthen park stabbing

Published

24 minutes ago

February 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police expand searches across riverbank and woodland as public urged to come forward with information

DYFED-POWYS POLICE say their search for a man wanted in connection with an attempted murder in Carmarthen Park is continuing.

Officers have been carrying out extensive enquiries since Thursday afternoon (4:00pm) when a woman was attacked inside the park.

The 57-year-old suspect, James McKenna, remains outstanding.

He is described as white, British, around five foot seven inches tall, bald with white facial hair. At the time of the incident, he is believed to have been wearing a green coat and a blue beanie hat.

Police were called just after 4:00pm following reports a woman had been injured inside the park. She managed to escape through the Picton Terrace entrance and raise the alarm.

Officers attended alongside colleagues from the Welsh Ambulance Service. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment to stab wounds and is expected to make a full recovery.

Since then, specialist teams have carried out forensic examinations and systematic searches of the park, nearby allotments, woodland, wetlands and the River Towy riverbank.

Dog handlers, drone pilots and police search advisers have been involved in the operation.

A knife believed to have been used in the attack, along with a rucksack, has been recovered.

Detectives are also carrying out digital and financial enquiries and have contacted local transport providers to determine whether the suspect attempted to leave the area.

Detective Chief Superintendent Ross Evans said officers had worked continuously over the weekend.

He said: “We are doing all we can to locate James McKenna. Our searches have expanded to cover large wooded areas and places he is known to frequent.

“At this time, we do not believe he has left the area using transport, but we urge anyone with information to get in touch immediately.

“Despite the seriousness of the attack, the victim is expected to make a full recovery. We are supporting her and her family.

“We thank the community for their cooperation while our work continues.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police online, by calling 101, or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

Community

Wales launches plan to become ‘Carer Aware’ nation

Published

4 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Consultation invites unpaid carers across the country to shape new national strategy

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has unveiled plans to make Wales a “Carer Aware” nation, with a new public consultation launched today (Monday, Feb 2) aimed at improving recognition and support for the country’s thousands of unpaid carers.

Ministers say the move is designed to ensure people who look after relatives, friends or neighbours are identified earlier and treated as partners in decisions about the care of their loved ones.

A draft National Strategy for Unpaid Carers has been developed with input from hundreds of carers and representative groups across Wales. It sets out eight key priorities, including better recognition of carers’ roles, improved access to respite and short breaks, stronger wellbeing support, and measures to prevent young carers from carrying too much responsibility.

Under the proposals, carers of all ages and backgrounds — including disabled carers and those in minority communities — would be able to access clear, local information and help when they need it.

Officials say earlier identification is critical, so carers can receive advice, financial guidance and emotional support from the start of their caring journey, rather than only at crisis point.

The strategy also stresses the need for sufficient alternative care arrangements to allow carers time to rest and protect their own health.

Dawn Bowden, Minister for Children and Social Care, said many carers do not even see themselves as carers.

“Too often, unpaid carers go unrecognised – even by themselves. They’re simply ‘looking after mum’ or ‘helping out a friend’, but caring can have a profound impact on people’s finances, careers, health and wellbeing,” she said.

“We want Wales to be a place where carers are identified early, where they know their rights, and where they’re treated as partners for the person they care for.

“This consultation is important in shaping a strategy which takes into full account how carers feel and how they’re supported. I’d encourage everyone with an interest to provide their views.”

The consultation is open now and runs until April 13, with responses helping to shape the final strategy and future support services across Wales.

People can take part online via the Welsh Government website.

News

Bus services reform becomes law across Wales

Published

5 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Landmark legislation gives public sector greater control as rollout set to begin in southwest Wales in 2027

LOCAL bus services across Wales are set for their biggest overhaul in decades after new legislation formally became law this week.

The Bus Services (Wales) Bill received Royal Assent on Monday (Feb 2), with the Welsh Government saying the changes will transform how routes are planned and delivered, putting passengers and communities ahead of profit-led timetables.

The legislation was sealed at a ceremony in Cardiff by First Minister Eluned Morgan, marking what ministers describe as a “historic day” for public transport.

The law gives the public sector a stronger role in shaping bus networks, allowing services to be designed around local needs in both rural and urban areas. Instead of relying solely on commercial operators deciding routes, councils and regional bodies will be able to coordinate and plan services more directly.

The Transport for Wales will work alongside local authorities, Corporate Joint Committees, bus companies, unions and residents to redesign networks using local knowledge.

Buses remain a vital link for many communities, particularly in rural parts of west Wales where alternatives are limited. They connect people to jobs, schools, hospitals and town centres.

Eluned Morgan said: “This is a historic day for public transport in Wales – it sends out a clear message that we are committed to improving the bus system and delivering better, more reliable services for the people of Wales.

“Buses are lifelines for many communities across Wales connecting people to jobs, health services, education and friends, and I’m excited to see the improvements that are coming.”

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said the changes marked “the beginning of a new era”.

He added: “These changes won’t be seen overnight, it’s going to take time, but we are working closely with the industry and local authorities to plan and deliver bus services to meet the needs of passengers today and for generations to come.”

The rollout will be phased, starting in southwest Wales in 2027, followed by north Wales in 2028, southeast Wales in 2029 and mid Wales in 2030.

Ministers say the aim is to deliver more reliable timetables, better coverage and services that reflect what communities actually need – rather than what is most commercially viable.