The art of a well-loved Merthyr local is currently on display in a Cyfarthfa Castle exhibit in memory of the local character who passed away a few years ago. Dewi Bowen was an accomplished artist and art teacher who enjoyed painting the iconic scenes of Merthyr Tydfil. He passed away in June 2021 at the age of 93, but his legacy lives on through his art works.
Liz Bowen, Dewi’s niece, is an advocate of his work and has been key in setting up the exhibition. Liz has warm memories of spending time with her uncle years ago. She said: “He used to take us to rugby internationals, football internationals, the opera, art exhibitions. He was always trying to educate us.”
As a young man, Dewi attended art college in Cardiff and then went on to spend his life teaching art and some architecture at Cyfarthfa Castle Grammar School. Liz could only bring 80 to 100 people to the opening of the art exhibition last month but they had a list of over 200 past pupils and Merthyr locals that wanted to come along.
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“I think he was very highly thought of, he was loved by past pupils,” Liz said. Dewi was a well-loved figure in Merthyr, which neighbours his hometown of Cefn-Coed-y-Cymmer. She said: “He was a real character, he was always happy and joking with people. He just loved comedy, he used to say that ‘life was a joke’.”
Dewi had a good friendship with Anna Kashfi before she became a Hollywood actress and married the star Marlon Brando. Her father had a butcher’s shop in Cardiff and Dewi used to go out for coffee with her. Liz said that for years after they were friends Dewi would jokingly say: “I never understood why she preferred Brandon to Bowen”.
While Dewi was known for being “a real character”, he was also a determined campaigner for the heritage of Merthyr and wanted to conserve its old buildings. He managed to save buildings on several occasions and even won a Prince of Wales award in 1981 alongside his colleague Mansell Richards for their efforts in preserving the Joseph Parry Birthplace Project, according to Liz.
Dewi immortalised some of the historical buildings of Merthyr in his art on display at the exhibition. In addition to painting, Dewi was a potter and his “great love was pottery”, Liz said.
John Evans, a photographer from Merthyr, noticed Dewi’s work after moving back to Merthyr from Cardiff. “It’s just masterful – I really love his work,” the 74-year-old said.
John found out who was behind the art, but Dewi was in a nursing home at the time. Unfortunately, he passed away just a week later. John and Liz have been advocates for Dewi’s work ever since. For Liz, the exhibition will be a chance for Dewi’s legacy to continue and for children in schools to learn about Merthyr’s history. She said: “It's just that his work will be a legacy for generations to come, people will be able to go see the buildings of Merthyr.”
To find out more about the exhibition, Dewi Bowen, y bachgen bach o Ferthyr, erioed, erioed: The Art of Dewi Bowen, click here
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