Minerva Art Gallery will celebrate his art and creativity, drawn from Les’ love of Wales, politics, people and life. Les died aged 90 in late 2023 following a short illness.
Les’s life started in the Great Depression of the 1930s Wrexham coalfields, to an apprenticeship in the Bersham Foundry onto the Trade Union college of Ruskin and then a scholarship to study PPE at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Les’s love of learning and giving something back to society and his strong sense of social justice and equity meant a career in teaching that took him to Oxfordshire, Devon and finally to Shropshire.
His dream of a smallholding at the Stiperstones, in the South Shropshire hills, allowed him to develop his art and love of the Marches border landscapes and people.
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Retirement took him to the small hamlet of Cwmbelan, near Llanidloes, where he taught art at Coleg Harlech and continued to produce work inspired from the places and people he knew.
“Les was a charismatic and well-known figure in the area for decades, in his resplendent hats, scarves and for his love of life,” said teacher Rob Ford, who is hosting the art exhibition in his mentor’s memory.
“Les’s death aged 90 was a sad passing of a man who influenced so many, but he is remembered well and in July, due to popular demand, his art and creativity will be shared in the place he called home for nearly 30 years, back in his beloved border Marches and Wales.
“A life well lived. A life in colour.”
The ‘Les Jones: A Life in Colour’ art exhibition at the Minerva Art Gallery in Llanidloes will celebrate the life of local Welsh artist and teacher between 10am and 4.30pm from Saturday, July 13, to Saturday, July 20.
