Note: Click on a photo for slide show.
In September 2017 I received a letter from Alan Warburton, an artist who lives in the Rhondda. It included pictures of a number of murals he has produced around South Wales over the years, together with newspaper cuttings about them. Unfortunately for various reasons the murals no longer exist, so the photos represent the sole surviving record.
From his letter I learned that Alan is a retired Art teacher. He no longer produces murals but does produce paintings, pen and ink drawings, etchings, and lino prints, which are sold through the Number 10 Gallery in Rochdale.
The first picture is a scan of an article that describes Alan’s career. The rest are photos of his murals, and some of his more recent work ‘for sale’.
Some of these pictures appeared in Issue 17 of The Button Files.
This article from the Rhondda Leader of Feb 16th 1995 gives some background on Alan’s career.
Designed and painted by Alan with assistance from Year 11 students at Porth County Comprehensive School. This is a detail from a 32ft long mural that won a Shell UK Achievement Award.
This 100 foot long mural at Porth Railway station won a Prince of Wales award in 1979. It is possibly the longest platform painting in railway history. It was opened by the Marchioness of Anglesey.
The Daffodil Murinal was the third of three Murinals painted by Alan in Porth in the Rhondda Valley.
The Miners Murinal on the Aberrhondda Road was the second of three murinals painted by Alan in Porth, Rhondda Valley 1976-7. It had the distinction of being opened by Prince Charles on July 28th 1976.
Ynyshir school mural at Porth, Rhondda Valley.
In 1982 Alan won an Operation Facelift competition sponsored by Cardiff City Council and the South Wales Echo. His idea to improve a British Rail water tower was to paint giant daffodils on it. In 1984 his idea was put into practice. Alas the water tower still exists but the daffodils are long gone.
This A3 sized pen and ink sketch is an example of Alan’s more recent work ‘for sale’.
This A2 sized, glass framed picture is another example of Alans more recent work ‘for sale’.
For sale unframed.
Hi Shelia, Actually Sarah Allan was mother to James b 1771. His father was also James born 1736. So Sarah…