Punch Maughan, owner of Found Gallery, speaks with artists Michael Howard and Roger Reese, who have contributed to a fabulous new exhibition at the contemporary gallery. Both artists live in the countryside close to Brecon and take inspiration from the place in different ways.

Michael produces abstract interpretations of local landscapes, showing hills and valleys coloured by natural tones of bracken and marked by tracks and scars that criss-cross the countryside.

“The buildings of Brecon have stories to tell. I like to capture those stories.”

Roger’s work focuses on the built environment, which is particularly suited to Brecon thanks to its eclectic mix of buildings of varying ages. He likes to explore the activities that took place in and around these buildings and is fascinated by the slow process of change as older buildings disappear to be replaced by newer structures. Roger records his impressions of the town’s urban environment in transition, placing Brecon’s notable buildings in their own context and environment. Michael is also passionate about Brecon’s heritage, describing it as ‘phenomenal’.

During their discussion both Michael and Roger reflect on how a selection of significant artists have portrayed Brecon, producing a visual record of the town and its hinterland over the years. Listen on to hear the full conversation.

Unfortunately Found in the Town and Found in the Hills exhibition was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the government restrictions in place. Found Gallery has rescheduled the exhibition for mid-September 2020.