“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.

News

Reform accused of ‘punishing voters’ with detention centre plan

Published

11 minutes ago

May 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Cross-party backlash as proposal to target Green-voting areas sparks outrage

REFORM UK has been accused of seeking to “punish voters” after unveiling a controversial plan to site migrant detention centres in areas that do not support the party.

The proposal forms part of the party’s pledge to deport “all illegal migrants” in Britain, which would require holding tens of thousands of people at a time in large-scale detention facilities.

In a statement, Reform said the centres would not be located in constituencies where it holds parliamentary seats or controls local councils. Instead, it would prioritise areas represented by the Green Party of England and Wales.

The party said: “If you vote in a Reform council or Reform MP, we guarantee you won’t have a detention centre near you. If you vote Green, there’s a good chance you will.”

Reform argued the approach was an “exercise in democratic consent”, claiming communities that back stricter immigration policies should not bear the burden of enforcement measures.

Political storm

The announcement triggered swift condemnation from across the political spectrum.

Mothin Ali said the policy was “abhorrent” and accused Reform of making inflammatory statements to distract from its wider agenda.

Labour chair Anna Turley described the proposal as “grotesque”, warning it undermined fundamental democratic principles by targeting communities based on how they vote.

Senior figures within the Conservative Party also voiced concern. Leader Kemi Badenoch shared criticism from former minister Simon Clarke, who warned the policy could amount to an abuse of power.

Clarke said deliberately siting facilities in areas based on voting patterns would likely face legal challenge and could be struck down in court, potentially costing taxpayers millions.

Legal and practical doubts

Critics have also raised questions over whether the plan could be implemented in practice.

Large detention centres would require suitable locations, infrastructure, and planning approval, as well as compliance with domestic law and international obligations.

Legal experts have suggested that targeting specific areas for political reasons could be open to challenge, particularly if it is seen as discriminatory or lacking a rational planning basis.

Reform’s defence

Reform has defended the proposal, insisting it is about fairness and accountability.

The party argues that voters who support stricter immigration controls should not be forced to host detention facilities, while those backing more liberal approaches should accept the consequences of their stance.

The policy was also framed as a direct challenge to Zack Polanski, with Reform suggesting Green politicians should “embrace” the idea.

Election backdrop

The row comes just days before local elections, with critics accusing Reform of deliberately provoking controversy to dominate the political agenda.

While the policy may appeal to the party’s core supporters, opponents say it risks alienating mainstream voters by appearing divisive and vindictive.

News

Land Rover swallowed by tide at popular Welsh beach

Published

1 hour ago

May 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A LAND ROVER Discovery has been lost to the sea at Abersoch after becoming stranded on the resort’s Main Beach.

The vehicle, worth tens of thousands of pounds, was spotted by early morning dog walkers on the sand at the Gwynedd coastal village before being completely covered by the incoming tide at around 10:00am.

Stranded on sand

Images circulating on social media showed the 4×4 marooned on the beach, with some locals initially questioning whether the pictures were genuine.

However, witnesses later confirmed the incident, with one RIB owner reporting: “People are paddleboarding over its roof!”

It is believed the vehicle may have become stuck while being used to recover a boat trailer or jet ski.

‘Not the first’

Locals said the incident was a familiar sight at the popular seaside resort, where vehicles have previously become trapped by soft sand and fast-moving tides.

One man wrote: “Not the first and it won’t be the last.”

Another joked: “The tide comes in. Who knew?”

Others described it as the start of the “silly season”, when coastal mishaps increase as visitor numbers rise.

Expensive mistake

New Land Rover Discovery models can cost around £80,000, while Discovery Sport models start from about £55,000.

Commenters suggested the vehicle’s off-road reputation may have given the driver false confidence.

One wrote: “It probably gave him a sense of security that it can go anywhere — we all know it can’t.”

Recovery expected

As the tide began to recede, boat owners reported the outline of the vehicle starting to reappear beneath the water.

Recovery was expected to require a beach tractor, but seawater damage means the Land Rover is likely to be written off.

One local said: “Very sad to see that something went wrong. You see many cars go into the sea to retrieve boat trailers, and you know that car will be rotten very soon afterwards.

“There’s a reason why old tractors are used.”

Despite the flood of “can’t park there” jokes and “Chelsea tractor” comments online, many said they felt sorry for the owner, who now faces what one person called a “very expensive weekend.”

Community

Cllr marks 10th blood donation and urges others to give blood

Published

2 hours ago

May 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A PEMBROKESHIRE councillor has urged more people to become blood donors after receiving his 10-unit donation badge from the Welsh Blood Service.

Cllr Thomas Tudor said he was pleased to receive the recognition and encouraged anyone who is able to donate to come forward.

He said: “If you can give blood, please do so.”

The Welsh Blood Service says hospitals in Wales need around 350 blood donations every day to support patients in need.

A single donation can help up to three patients, as blood can be separated into different components and used in different ways to help people recover.

The service is calling for donors from all backgrounds, including first-time donors and those who have given blood before, to help maintain supplies for hospitals across Wales.

Giving blood is described as quick, simple and safe, and remains one of the most important ways members of the public can help save lives.

Anyone wishing to find out more can contact the Welsh Blood Service on 0800 252 266, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 7:00pm, or Saturday from 9:00am to 1:00pm. They can also email [email protected].

Caption:

Cllr Thomas Tudor giving blood after receiving his 10-unit donation badge from the Welsh Blood Service.