Page:Glamorgan Gazette - 1902-04-18 - p8 - A Bridgend Artist.png



Mr. G. Howell-Baker, Coychurch-road, Bridgend, is a black and white artist of great ability and promise, who has a considerable reputation in artistic circles in London. He has recently issued a book of his drawings, entitled "Penholm," which is published by R. Brimley Johnson, London, and which has been received with a great deal of favourable comment from the art critics. "The Bookman" gave one of the "Penholm" pictures—"St. George and the Dragon"—the place of honour in the Christmas supplement, and moreover bestowed upon the book the following generous praise:—"Mr. Howell-Baker is a discovery, an artist of real distinction. His work is strong and striking, as strong in conception as it is admirable in technique. 'Penholm' is certainly one of the most original and pleasing and sumptuous art productions of the year." Mr. Howell-Baker's work is not of the ordinary kind, that of producing in exact imitation a figure or a landscape. His drawings are what may be termed allegorical; he expresses a bold conception, a beautiful idea full of poetry, or a great principle, in pencilled lines. His work is, in fact, thought and imagination in black and white. The "Week's Survey," referring to "Penholm" says: "These black and white drawings indicate some of the dreams which come to a student of earlier masters who has a facile pen. Psychologically, they are a veritable melange—a medly of the realistic, the poetic, and the apocalyptic; but all the fancies are verging on the weird."

Recently one of our representatives had the pleasure of a long chat with Mr. Howell-Baker at his studio, and was shown his excellent collection of drawings. Mr. Howell-Baker has taken up his residence in Bridgend for the time being in order to have quietness to do the delicate work of illustrating poetry, which he has taken in hand for some of the big London publishers. In the beautiful country surrounding Bridgend, in the sweet Vale of Glamorgan, the "Garden of Wales," he often finds inspiration for the illustration of a pastoral verse. Mr. Howell-Baker has travelled practically the length and breadth of Great Britain, and having lived in London the Bohemian life of an artist, he has come in contact with some of the leading painters and black and white artists of the day, and has many interesting reminiscences.