Lot 514A: Claudia Williams (b.1933) Children Reading signed

Claudia Williams (b.1933) Children Reading signed with initials and dated CW '65 bottom left signed, inscribed with title and artist's address at Rhos Cottage, Llanfaes, Anglesey, on the reverse oil on board 61 x 30cm

laudia Williams was born in Purley, Surrey in 1933. In 1949 she entered the National Exhibition of Children's Art at the Royal Institute Galleries. Over 46,000 children entered the competition and the distinguished judges headed by John Rothenstein (Director of The Tate Gallery) and Herbert Read (President of the Society for Education Through Art) were unanimous in their decision to give the principal award to Claudia Williams. She received a Training Scholarship and attended Chelsea School of Art between 1950 to 1953. After Chelsea she married the artist Gwilym Prichard and their first home was on Anglesey from where they moved into a council house at Llangefni. They had four children. In her early fifties the climate at the foothills of Snowdonia was affecting her health. In 1984, when both artists had an established reputations in Wales, they sold their home and embarked on a travelling adventure across Europe in a car laden with camping equipment and art materials, heading for the island of Skiathos where they had the opportunity to look after a friend's dog, with free accommodation for the winter. The following year they headed south to Santorini, then through Italy, Provence and settling in a small house near the harbour at Vannes in Brittany. In 1991 they moved inland to Rochefort-en-Terre and in 2000 they moved back to Tenby in Wales Family life is an enduring theme for Claudia Williams. Her paintings are based on human relationships and figures in close proximity. She recognises and explores the limitations imposed by domestic circumstances and the domestic daily routines of women and children provide an opportunity for paintings that focus on social interaction. Williams has a particular sensibility towards the human condition which is combined with a sense of design, sensitive handling of colour and confident figure drawing