The latest display on the museum forecourt is a series of artworks by north Wales’s landscape artist, Mikey Jones.
Mikey Jones rose to prominence with his ‘Wrexham Skyline’ mural which was exhibited at the old Wrexham Arts Centre and reminded people of the town’s urban heritage. Since then his paintings in oils of landmarks and landscapes across north Wales have been in high demand with local residents, ‘exiles’, visitors and art collectors.
Wrexham Museum approached Mikey Jones to see if he would be willing to let us reproduce some of his paintings of landmarks in Wrexham County Borough for display on the museum forecourt and were thrilled when he agreed.
Mikey Jones told the museum “I love painting scenes of Wrexham and the surrounding area. There’s so much beauty and interesting history that still feels relatively untouched by previous landscape painters. This opportunity and freedom to promote what we have in our part of the world has always excited me.
I have been painting scenes of the local area for over ten years now and the positive change in people’s attitudes towards Wrexham based art in recent years linked to the success of Wrexham AFC and a general growing of confidence in the community is fantastic. More and more people now want Wrexham based art up on the walls!
I was delighted to work with Wrexham Museum in producing a very public display showcasing my paintings of local landmarks on the external boards in their courtyard, to celebrate our local architectural and natural landmarks.”
While the likes of JMW Turner and Louise Rayner may only have briefly halted in Wrexham to paint, visitors can appreciate how much of the area Mikey Jones has explored and captured in oils over the past decade in the chosen works on display.
Well worth seeing up close
Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: “Mikey is a hugely popular local artist so we’re delighted to be able to present a selection of his best works right here in the city centre for all to enjoy. There is a warm affection and attention to detail in Mikey’s iconic paintings of Wrexham’s landmarks that really resonates with local people. They are well worth seeing up close so I would encourage everyone to pop in to the museum’s forecourt on their next visit to the city centre and take a look.”
The exhibition will remain on display until March 2024.
Wrexham Museum, Courtyard Café and Archives are now closed to the public as part of the project to redevelop the building into a ‘Museum of Two Halves’ – a new football museum for Wales, alongside a fully refurbished and enhanced Wrexham Museum.
Visitors can still access the forecourt to view the exhibition.