Skip to content

Artist's gallery dream realised on eve of 96th birthday

John BrayWolverhampton
News imageJocelyne Fildes Woman with white hair holding a multi-coloured landscape painting showing hills and fields. She is wearing a grey dress with white top underneathJocelyne Fildes
A well-known member of the Shropshire arts community, Betsy Smith taught painting to classes in Bridgnorth and Broseley for two decades

When artist Betsy Smith moved back to the UK from France, she set her sights on staging an art gallery exhibition.

And on the eve of her 96th birthday in August, her dream is about to become a reality.

Betsy Smith: Memory in Colour runs at Wolverhampton Art Gallery from Saturday 6 June to Monday 31 August.

Her lifelong passion for art saw her run art classes in Shropshire until she was 80, having retired at 60 to focus on painting full time.

News imageBetsy Smith Painting of a yellow moon with blue background. There are words on the painting in yellow lettering including The Moon like a flower in heavens highBetsy Smith
News imageBetsy Smith Painting of thin tree trunks in green, pink and blue on a cream backgroundBetsy Smith
"I love to explore colour, to reflect my experience of the world through paint, to share my joy," Smith said
Her passion for art began with a scholarship to High Wycombe School of Art when she was 12. She left at 15 when the Second World War had ended

The artist returned to live in Wolverhampton five years ago and produced a film of her life and work to help convince curators at the city's art gallery to stage an exhibition.

"It's a multicultural city that works and in this day and age this is wonderful," she said.

"The kindness I receive and the care that individuals feel for their city, their football team and the city's history is tremendous.

"The art scene here now is fantastic and the art gallery has evolved to encourage young people to appreciate and take part in the arts."

News imageBetsy Smith Mountain range painting. The peaks are painted in an assortment of colours including white, blue, pink and orange. The sky is blackBetsy Smith
News imageBetsy Smith A red painting with a black vertical strip and thinner yellow lines across top section and right hand sideBetsy Smith
"Much of my work is semi-abstract landscape. It contains quite a lot of form. I don't paint from life, I paint from memory," Smith said
"I use the colours that I feel like using, acrylic on canvas and prefer larger canvases. And I paint or plan my paintings every day"
See also
Related internet links