POPULAR and well-loved artist, Charles Byrd, will be displaying his work at the Travellers Gallery, Barry.

The 98-year-old is making a welcome return to Barry where his exhibition will be available from Monday, August 10 to Saturday, September 18.

Byrd still has fond memories of the short time he and his family lived in Barry. At the age of 10, Charles moved to Barry where he attended Romilly Road Elementary School and became a member of the famous Romilly Boys Choir.

Charles only lived in Barry for about four years before moving to Cardiff. It could be easily argued however, that those formative years spent in Barry, with its busy docks, coal ships, steam engines, spinning wheels, cranes, paddle steamers and the emerging fairground had a subliminal influence on Charles’s abstract paintings and especially on his kinetic sculptures.

Charles Byrd is well known for his depiction of the streets, parks and backyards of his beloved Canton and for his portrayal of Cardiff Docklands in the late 50’s and early 60’s. These are visual testaments to the industrial past of the city and therefore are of national significance.

This was recently recognised when the National Eisteddfod visited Cardiff in 2008.

The special exhibition at ‘Y LLE CELF’, the Art Pavilion also exhibited a number of his kinetic sculptures, his famous ‘Magical Machines!’ One of these kinetic sculptures can be seen at the Central Library in King Square and another two are now housed at Ysgol Bro Morgannwg.

During the 1960’s Charles also produced over a hundred abstract paintings. Now approaching his 99th year, he still works tirelessly on his ever increasing number of small sculptures while also revisiting some of these earlier works, painstakingly bringing them to life once more.

His keen eye for composition, colour and depth ensures that these paintings maintain a timeless quality. Their bright jewel-like appearance has an illuminating, uplifting effect on all who view them.

Charles Byrd’s ‘Jewelled Surfaces’ exhibition will be a selection of rarely seen paintings. Travellers Gallery is run by VOGA (Vale of Glamorgan Artists) in partnership with MIND in the Vale.