A FORMER steelworker says he has always wanted to 'bee' an artist.

Professional bee-keeper, Calwyn Glastonbury, has found an unusual way to combine his passion for bees and art.

Mr Glastonbury, of Gilwern, uniquely mixes the wax produced by his bees, with paint to create his abstract landscape paintings.

The 52 year-old spent 34 years working in the steel works at Llanwern before deciding to give it up to pursue his hobbies of bee keeping and art.

"I studied for A and AS-levels at Coleg Gwent before embarking on a degree part-time for six years at the University of Glamorgan," explained Mr Glastonbury.

A bee-keeper for five years, Mr Glastonbury has more than 50 hives in farms across the Usk Valley that are home to around 250,000 bees.

"I started with 12 hives and built them up to 50," explained the manager of Gwent Beekeepers Association.

His love of bees led him to set up Usk Valley Apiaries in 2009.

The hives are located on several farms between Usk and Gilwern and produce Usk Valley Honey which is sold in shops in Blaenavon, Crickhowell, Abergavenny and Gilwern. The labels on the jars feature Mr Glastonbury’s paintings.

He recently featured on the BBC series Springwatch after he was asked to mentor presenter Kate Humble in keeping bees at her Wye Valley home.

"She was great to work with and picked it up well. It’s also helped to create more interest in bee-keeping," said Mr Glastonbury.

It is a hive of activity in his farmhouse studio.

By mixing hot wax with the oils he says it gives his paintings a different texture.

The technique of encaustic painting involves heating up bees wax and mixing it with a white spirit to make a paste. This is added to the oil paint.

"You can build up the layers and choose the thickness you want," he explained.

"I either thicken it and paint it onto a hard canvas and leave it or re-heat it whilst on the canvas using a hot-air gun to blend the colours."

"The contrast of colour and texture give a sense of depth, whilst at the same time mixing abstract painting effects."

The method of encaustic painting can be traced back to the 5th Century B.C when ancient Greek and Egyptian ship builders used hot wax to seal cracks in the hull of the ships. The pigmentation eventually led to a painting technique.

"There are a few artists who use this technique," explained Mr Glastonbury who cites the Cardiff-based artist Terry Satch as an inspiration.

PANEL: MR Glastonbury's paintings are inspired by his visits to places including Tanzania, Corsica and the Arctic, as well as landmarks in Monmouthshire such as the Blorenge and The Sugarloaf mountain.

"I paint abstracts of landscapes that interest me and incorporate the weather and emotions of the place," he said.

"Using my own bees wax in the paintings makes it even more personal," he added.

He has exhibited his work at several exhibitions whilst studying for a BA Hons in Art Practice, for which he gained a 2:1 last month and is hoping to now work professionally as an artist.

His latest work can be seen at the GLAM’D OUT exhibition at the Tactile Bosh Gallery and Studio in Cardiff between July 10 and 31.