Brenda Chamberlain (1912-1971) was an outstanding artist and writer of prose and poetry who was born in Bangor, north Wales. After studying at the Royal Academy Schools in London, she returned to Wales with the artist John Petts. During her lifetime, she twice won the Gold Medal in Fine Art at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, held seven solo exhibitions in London and Wales and her work was seen in over 30 group shows.

To mark the centenary year of the brilliant Welsh artist and writer, from September onwards, Parthian will be publishing a series of works by and about Brenda: beginning with a Library of Wales edition of Brenda’s The Water Castle this October.

The Water-castle

 First published in 1964, Brenda Chamberlain's The Water-castle is a journal of love and discord in post-war Germany as a Welsh woman travels with her French husband to meet her former lover, a German count.

Join us for the launch of The Water-castle on Saturday 20 October at 5pm, following our walk in association with the 2012 Literature Wales Literary Tourism programme: Brenda Chamberlain's Bangor and Beyond with Jill Piercy. £8 (£7 concession) (2-5pm). Jill Piecy and Dr Ceridwen Lloyd-Morgan will lead a walk around Bangor, followed by a short bus tour to the Bethesda area where she lived when first married. The afternoon will end with the launch of a new Library of Wales edition of Brenda Chamberlain's The Water-castle generously hosted by Bangor University and introduced by Damian Walford Davies.

More Brenda Chamberlain Centenary celebrations forthcoming...

An Artist's Life

Brenda Chamberlain: An Artist’s Life is a biography by Jill Piercy. Jill is an exhibition curator, consultant and writer specialising in contemporary art and craft in Wales. She has written for numerous publications and has prepared catalogue essays for many galleries in Wales. For six years she was the Art and Craft Officer for the National Eisteddfod of Wales and has curated work for many galleries in Wales, Europe and USA. Jill curated three exhibitions of work by Brenda Chamberlain in 1988, 2007 and 2008.

Jill will be talking about An Artist's Life at xx minifest of women's writing. The festival runs on Saturday October 27th 2012 at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

The Protagonists

And, finally, October sees the publication of The Protagonists, a play written by Brenda, edited by Damian Walford Davies. Damian will be in discussion with Susie Wild about his own writing and the life and work of Brenda Chamberlain at Cardiff Literary Salon in November. At Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. November 1st 2012, 7:30 pm. Free Entry. Supported by Sherman Cymru, Literature Wales Library of Wales and Seren Books.

Also don't miss: A Rope of Vines

A Rope of Vines, Brenda Chamberlain's beautiful and personal account of her time on the Greek Island of Ydra, was included in the Library of Wales Series in 2009. 

For more details on all our events visit: http://www.parthianbooks.com/events