A LOCAL artist is staging an exhibition of his work at a gallery in the town.

Al Blethyn’s artwork varies between landscapes, skyscapes, still life, graphics, abstracts and illustration and will go on show at the Urchins Gallery in Croft Court throughout June.

Al has been a resident of Ross for just under 11 years when he moved into New Street after winding up his business as a graphic design consultant in Tewkesbury.

He explains that his artwork is as varied as it is because of his career working in graphics and advertising, where every brief demanded a different visual communication and added: Having been involved in the creative industry all my working life, it seemed perfectly natural that I became a full-time artist upon my retirement in 2010.

“Whilst still in Tewkesbury, I staged three exhibitions in the town centre, and a very popular one at The Gardens Gallery in Cheltenham.

“A few years ago, the Made in Ross Gallery invited me to exhibit twice in their gallery in the historic Market House. which proved to be very successful. In 2023, the Take Four Gallery in Ledbury arranged a joint exhibition for me.

“And now the Urchins Gallery, in Croft Court have been very generous in letting me exhibit my work there. In fact, this is the third time I've exhibited my artwork with them.”

Al grew up in post war London and attended The Harrow Art School, then The London College of Printing before gaining a place in Watford to study graphics and typography full-time for three years.

Al then rose up through the ranks, going from studio head to art director before becoming a creative director with several London and regional advertising agencies.

By 1982 he jumped ship from the corporate world and set up as a freelance advertising/graphic design consultant. This proved to be an ideal working environment for the next three decades but by 2010 he felt it was time to bring down the shutters on the consultancy.

Al said that during his early years as an artist, that most of the paintings he produced had been in gouache, artist inks, professional markers and occasionally pastels.

“Over time pastels have gradually become the medium of choice. I rediscovered the sheer pleasure of working with these short, stubby chalks. Blending, cross hatching, smudging and building up and adjusting layers of colour were a joy.

“I could be subtle, controlled or flamboyant as I wish. But although pastels have become a comfortable and hugely satisfying medium, I still turn to gouache, acrylics, inks and even markers when the subject matter demands.”

A small collection of original pastels and prints will be on display at Urchins Gallery throughout June featuring a wide range of themes and styles.

The gallery’s opening hours are 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday. All the original paintings and limited-edition prints will be available to be purchased at the end of the exhibition.