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 the first full-length biography, Brenda Chamberlain: An Artist’s Life by Jill Piercy; a Library of Wales edition of Brenda’s The Water Castle; and her play The Protagonists, edited by Damian Walford Davies.

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 PENfro festival. The festival runs on Saturday and Sunday, September 15th and 16th 2012 at Rhosygilwen, Rhoshill, Pembrokeshire, SA43 2TW.

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. First published in 1964, the book will be republished this November as part of the Library of Wales series, our landmark series of books representing the best of Welsh writing in English, bringing classics of Welsh literature to the general reader.

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.

And, finally, October sees the publication of The Protagonists, a play written by Brenda, edited by Damian Walford Davies.

Also join us on Saturday 20 October (2.00 pm - 5.00 pm) for our walk in association with the 2012 Literature Wales Literary Tourism programme: Brenda Chamberlain's Bangor and Beyond with Jill Piercy. £8 (£7 concession).

We anticipate exciting events later in the year to mark the centenary, launch the new titles and celebrate Brenda’s work. Further details on the titles and events to follow!