From Castlemartin to Lower Town, new exhibition celebrates local people, places and wildlife

A GROUP of Pembrokeshire artists inspired by the county’s people, places and landscapes are showcasing their work at the Torch Theatre this July.

The exhibition, titled Out and About (Most of the Time), will be on display at the Joanna Field Gallery in Milford Haven throughout the month.

The artists, known as the “Homework Club”, meet weekly throughout the year to paint, sketch and develop their work. Many of the members first met while attending art classes with Pembrokeshire Learning.

Their pictures are inspired by locations across the county, from Castlemartin church to Lower Town in Fishguard, as well as local houses, wildlife, people and fellow artists.

When the weather allows, the group can often be seen painting outdoors in different parts of Pembrokeshire. On less favourable days, they gather indoors at one of their homes to work on still life subjects.

Paul King, one of the artists involved, said the group was looking forward to welcoming visitors and hearing their views on the work.

He said: “It will be really good to know what people visiting the exhibition think of the artwork.

“We’ve tried to vary what we paint and have visited places such as Castlemartin church and Lower Town in Fishguard. We’ve produced work featuring houses, people, wildlife and each other. Our pictures include all sorts really.”

Paul said painting in public often sparks curiosity and conversation.

He added: “It can be a little daunting when people come up to you and ask what and why you are painting, but it starts some interesting conversations and engagement.

“We aren’t in it to make money, we just enjoy ourselves. We are all amateurs. Some of us use ink, pencil or watercolours, and it’s not often we get oils out, but it’s great fun.”

The group previously exhibited at the Joanna Field Gallery last year and is now keen to gather more feedback from visitors.

This year, members are asking people to score the pictures and leave an overall comment. One completed feedback form will be drawn at random, with the winner receiving four Torch cinema tickets.

Paul said: “It’s a way of engaging with people, with the aim of finding people’s favourite picture and seeing what people really like and why.

“I’m really keen to know what people think of the pictures.”

Out and About (Most of the Time) can be seen at the Joanna Field Gallery, Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, throughout July during Box Office opening hours.

For further information, visit torchtheatre.co.uk or contact the Box Office on 01646 695267.

Pembrokeshire DJ lands record deal with London dance label

A PEMBROKESHIRE DJ and music producer is celebrating a major career breakthrough after having his new track signed by London dance label Perfect Havoc.

Josh Oughton, 29, who performs as J Flow, will release his new single Another Lie on all major platforms on Friday, July 3.

Josh, who is from Pembrokeshire and still lives locally, began DJing in 2018 and has been performing professionally for the past two years. He has also spent several years learning music production, before deciding to take it seriously over the last two years.

He said Perfect Havoc discovered him after he sent demos directly to the label.

“Having my track signed to Perfect Havoc is a massive achievement in my career,” Josh said. “It gives me the potential to get booked for bigger shows and festivals.”

He described Another Lie as a high-energy dance track with “pure summer vibes”.

“The story behind it is constantly being lied to and me being able to walk away from them lies,” he said.

Josh said finding out the label wanted to sign the track was a huge moment.

“My reaction was along the lines of, how is this happening?” he said. “It was a mixture of emotions. I was excited but very nervous at the same time, but now it’s coming closer to the release it’s just pure excitement.”

The 29-year-old said the achievement still has not fully sunk in.

“To me personally, it still doesn’t feel real,” he said. “I never thought I would have got as far as having my music signed to a label, so it means the world to me.”

Josh also had a message for other young DJs and producers in Pembrokeshire hoping to break into the industry.

“Keep pushing and don’t give up,” he said. “It will feel like you’re getting nowhere for a very long time, but stay consistent and committed and amazing things happen.”

Looking ahead, Josh said his dream is to take his music around the world.

“My ambition is to be a touring DJ, seeing different parts of the world,” he said. “Looking ahead in five years, that’s where I would like to be, but I’ve got a very long way to go yet.”

Perfect Havoc is a London-based dance music label which has released music from a number of high-profile dance artists, including Joel Corry.

Josh said further plans are in the pipeline, although he is not yet able to reveal details.

Click here to pre-order Another Lie.

A major exhibition featuring work inspired by the Pembrokeshire coast will open in St Davids this summer, bringing internationally recognised contemporary art to the heart of the National Park.

A MAJOR exhibition of work by Helen Chadwick is to open at Oriel y Parc, National Park Discovery Centre, in St Davids this month.

Helen Chadwick: Body and Landscape will run from Saturday, July 11, 2026, until Sunday, January 10, 2027. Admission is free.

The exhibition will include work from Chadwick’s Viral Landscapes series, which was inspired by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. It will be the first time the works have been shown in the landscape that helped shape them.

The exhibition has been developed through Oriel y Parc’s partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru and is organised as part of ARTIST ROOMS, the touring programme run by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland.

Chadwick, who died suddenly in 1996 at the age of 42, is regarded as one of the most radical and inventive British artists of her generation. Her work crossed sculpture, photography and installation, often using unusual materials to explore ideas about the body, identity, gender and the natural world.

The Pembrokeshire connection is central to the new exhibition. Chadwick created Viral Landscapes between 1988 and 1989 after receiving an Artists in National Parks commission from the Victoria and Albert Museum.

As part of that work, she walked the coast path between Fishguard and Castlemartin, photographing the point where land and sea meet. The resulting series reflected both the physical landscape and its powerful effect on the artist’s senses and sense of self.

Bryony White, Senior Curator at Amgueddfa Cymru, said: “Helen Chadwick was a true original. Through her radical and singular approach to art and ideas, she produced a body of work which retains its relevance and power, even today.

“We’re delighted to partner with Oriel y Parc to present this exhibition in Pembrokeshire where, for the first time, visitors will be able to experience and enjoy some of Chadwick’s Viral Landscapes in the landscape which inspired them.”

The exhibition will also include Chadwick’s well-known installation Piss Flowers from 1991-92, along with photographic works from Tate’s collection. These works were recently shown as part of ARTIST ROOMS displays at Tate Modern in London and the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh.

James Parkin, Director of Nature and Tourism at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: “Helen Chadwick’s work has a powerful connection with Pembrokeshire, and it is very special to be able to bring pieces from her Viral Landscapes series back to the landscape that helped shape them.

“This exhibition reflects the strength of Oriel y Parc as a nationally significant gallery space and the importance of our partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru, Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland.

“It gives visitors a rare opportunity to experience major contemporary art in one of the most remarkable protected landscapes in the UK.”

ARTIST ROOMS presents the work of international artists in solo exhibitions drawn from a national touring collection jointly owned by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland. Since 2009, around 220 exhibitions have been shown at nearly 100 museums and galleries across the UK.

Helen Chadwick: Body and Landscape will be on display at Oriel y Parc, St Davids, from July 11, 2026, to January 10, 2027. Admission is free.