ABOUT

Collwyn is a contemporary visual artist based in Bristol, UK. His practice explores themes of permanence and impermanence, drawing inspiration from myth, cultural heritage, and the topography of the land. He describes his work as conceptual “trail lines,” often titled with references to mysticism, objects, and lyrical abstraction.
“I’m interested in how myth, narrative, and place shape our cultural consciousness — how the spiritual landscapes of the past continue to influence us today. I seek out locations that spark a story, then research them to see what stirs within me. Some paintings are grounded in real places; others open into imagination through prose, folklore, or music. My work reflects personal experience while extending into film and sound.”
In 2025, Collwyn collaborated with Somatic Bodywork and Movement Artist Jan Ming Lee on a film and series of paintings exploring contemporary connections to nature-based spirituality. Set in Somerset, including at the Stanton Drew stone circle near Chew Valley, the project reflects his fascination with Neolithic sites and their archaeological and poetic resonance. “I approach these places with an archaeologist’s eye but can’t help romanticizing how our ancestors might have seen the world.” Works from this series include Dancers of Stanton, The Ritual, and The Great Circle.
Subsequent paintings extend into the realm of ecopoetics — examining the relationship between people and the natural world, and the creative expressions that honor it. Possible Worlds references A.R. Ammons’ 1964 poem Worlds, which reflects on the fragility and resilience of life under the right conditions.
Music also informs Collwyn’s practice. His compositions inspire works such as This Silver River and Launched, both meditations on reflection and union. This Silver River draws from the Chinese myth of the Jade Emperor, where the celestial river connected heaven and earth, uniting mortal and divine beings.
Working primarily in oils, Collwyn experiments with shellac, reactive paints, and alternative materials. Through pouring, layering, sanding, and reconstructing, he creates surfaces that feel sculptural and elemental. His palimpsest technique — scraping, glazing, and reworking layers — produces a sense of erosion and renewal, blurring the boundaries between image and object.
Each painting is finished with a hand-crafted oak frame, designed and built by the artist in collaboration with Bristol timber merchants who promote sustainable forestry.