Dan Llywelyn Hall Interview by David Irish

It’s a grey miserable Friday afternoon in late August, with little change forecast, apart from an interview with Dan Llywelyn Hall . We spent a good hour discussing his life, interests and most of all painting, which he is absolutely passionate about. His work relates to an expressionistic tradition, where emotions and feelings take precedence over trying to capture an exact representation of the scene. Artists such as Soutine, Van Gogh and Blake come to mind, when engaging his work. His ideas and beliefs also support this position. For Dan, passion and commitment is the key to painting and what it can express of the human spirit. It is fundamental to his soul! It was refreshing to chat to someone who knew exactly what they wanted painting to express, while at the same time, being extremely forthright and honest about his own work.

Dan was first captured by art at the age of eight, through his Aunt, who asked him to paint a picture of a house. Later after leaving school, he chose a course in illustration at Westminster University in London and subsequently was employed by the Independent. Within a short-time scale, he realised this wasn’t his chosen path and resigned from his post, deciding instead to take up the brush and canvas. A complete turnaround in methods of expression. It was during this period he was awarded a painting prize by ‘The Sunday Times,’ which encouraged him to dedicate his life to the act of painting. For Dan, art is a calling, for a painter’s life is quite a solitary experience, if not monastic, which in a way has come full circle; his atelier being a converted chapel. He fully accepts that life is a transitory experience, there being other dimensions and worlds beyond the limits of our sensory encounters, which he clearly touches on in his work. For Dan it is about being true to oneself, following your own intuition and being authentic at all times. It is a hard and rocky road to travel, the only guidelines are your own instincts, which is in complete contradiction to the modern age. I asked him what advice he would give to an aspiring artist, without any hesitation he retorted, ‘It’s about survival, tenacity and endurance. Ignore any detrimental criticism and dig deep within yourself, it is your journey and no one else’s,’ wise words.

Recently Dan has collaborated with a poet friend, although he has no desires to write poetry himself. This usually requires him to send an image of one of his paintings, to which the poet responds with verse. For Dan, poetry is painting with words, a parallel art form, inhabited by wordsmiths who have similar desires and yearnings.

I was curious to how his connection with Birmingham and the Arches came about. Replying, “Spending my childhood in South Wales, what particularly attracted me to Birmingham, was the heavy industrial heritage of the region, which has now become post-industrial. There is a similar history and experience

between the two areas. Which led me to be part of a group exhibition at Arches, where I met Evette. The Arches is an incredibly dramatic space, which is so evocative of the industrial nineteenth century.”

Our conversation could have continued for at least another hour or so. His enthusiasm for art and creativity was infectious but before I allowed him to depart, sensing all other means of communication interrupted the activity of painting. I asked him a few playful questions.

Three pieces of music which have been part of your life: Harry Nilsson…Everybody’s Talkin Bill Evans…Peace Piece Vaughn Williams…Lark Ascending If you were to cook a meal to impress someone what would it be: It would have to be a Roast with all the trimmings, as it is so evocative of shared meals with the family. What galleries do you enjoy visiting? Pallant House Gallery, Chichester Courtauld Gallery, London On that final note we said our goodbyes, suspecting he wanted to return to an unfinished canvas. Our paths might cross in the future, if they don’t, we wish him well and to say a big thanks for his support and contribution.

© Photograph by Bernard Mitchell 2020