Emrys Williams was born in Liverpool in 1958. He moved to wales in 1959 and later studied art at Slade School of Fine Art, London.
Emrys Williams paintings are very distinctive. Frequently he draws upon memories spent immersed in the marine scenes of Britain, Italy and France. The result is often paintings which evoke an almost nostalgic 1950s feel from paintings which communicate a wispy daydream like quality. The texture of the paintings remind the viewer of the calm sunshine of British summers and also the definite sun rays of the Continent.
Using the combination of memories and imagination Emrys creates a very personal world in his paintings. Recurring themes are silent mysterious characters huddled under umbrellas hovering at the edge of the pictures. Lighthouses, trains, and distant boats and ships are all part of the basic vocabulary of his paintings, which form part of the narrative set within coastal scenes which are familiar to him.
Emrys says: "A lot of my work is based on the sea-side as a way of exploring our memories and past especially as the sea tends to bring an introspective side to people's nature. My art explores personal imagery derived from the seaside of the North Wales coast and travels further afield. I am interested in the subjective nature of experience and recollection.'
Emrys Williams was elected to the RCA in 1997. His paintings are now held in many public and private collections including: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; and Government Art Collection.
