A PONTYPOOL artist is sharing his passion for art at his first public exhibition.

Phil Davies, of Pontymoile, has devoted the past two years to his art since retiring as a graphic artist. He is currently exhibiting an eclectic mix of his work at a craft gallery near Usk.

Mr Davies, 58, originally trained as an engineer but found it wasn’t for him. At the age of 21 he set up a studio in Old Cwmbran and worked as a self-employed sign writer in the graphics world for three decades.

Since retiring, the father-of-three has been specializing in bold-colourful graphics prints, posters and drawings of dancers and jazz artists as well as more traditional oil paintings of local landscapes with big skies.

Mr Davies discovered digital printing techniques in 1990 and began to use them to mix and match with his painting skills to produce displays for his work as a graphic designer.

"I've enjoyed most of my working life and made some great friend and acquaintances but would always have liked the personal time to produce artwork without the constraints of a commission,” he explained.

“I have waited all my life to do it and am excited about having my recent work gathered together for this solo exhibition and sharing my passion for art in all its forms with visitors to Craft Renaissance Gallery."

It would be hard to pin him down to one genre, one moment he is bowled over by a magnificent sunset, another time he sees the Fibonacci sequence as birds spiral overhead, then there is his passion for jazz and Cole Porter.

"I have a rebellious attitude that inclines me to ignore the traditional art rules just for the fun of it, but I am a devoted admirer of the masters, I just love it all."

Mr Davies uses a wide variety of techniques and styles to produce his work including a complicated process known as glazing.

The exhibition brings together a collection of prints, drawings of dancers and jazz artists and traditional oil paintings of landscapes with big skies, inspired by the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains.

‘Ideas from a Shed’ runs at Craft Renaissance Gallery, Kemeys Commander, near Usk until May 12.