The Artist - About me:

Marianne Brand

I grew up in Devon, and spent a great deal of time accompanying my artist father, Jim Williams, on sketching trips around Devon and Cornwall. We used to fish as well, and our painting was inevitably drawn towards the lively activity of the fishing harbours and the sea in all its moods. I went to school in Torquay, then on to university at Oxford, where I tried my hand at painting the colleges, with their fantastic architecture and colour. I explored the area as much as possible, visiting Blenheim Palace and the beautiful Cotswolds. I also studied physics, and after teacher training in Nottingham, moved to Swansea to take up a teaching post as head of physics at St Joseph's in Port Talbot. I lived near the Mumbles and was very active in sailing for several years before having my three children.
I moved down to Dale in Pembrokeshire in 1982, where my children had a wonderful time growing up, and I was finally able to paint seriously enough to start selling my work.
The Pembrokeshire coastline is so beautiful, and a great joy to paint. I love colour and the cliffs positively glowed with it. Again I was drawn to boats, and I discovered the trawlers in the old Milford Haven Fishmarket. They were held together with rust, and looked so attractive against the backdrop of the fishmarket, the piles of nets and fish, and the ever-present seagulls. I know now that I was lucky to be there and painting when I was, for not long after I witnessed the demolition of the fishmarket and the disappearance of the Milford fleet.
I was also there when the Tall Ships race took place in the Haven, and I thoroughly enjoyed researching and painting those graceful ships. I had three exhibitions running at once that summer, and life was very hectic. As well as taking part in many joint exhibitions, I had solo shows in Milford library, The Torch Theatre (several times) and Haverfordwest Library. For a few years I moved to Penarth, near Cardiff. I tried my hand at teaching physics again for six years in Cowbridge. I enjoyed this to start with - I met some great people, and it was a relief to know that I could remember my physics, but in the end I longed to be my own boss again, and get out painting and exploring.
There was plenty to paint in this area too, and a great variety, from the splendour of the Brecon Beacons, the thatched cottages in the Vale of Glamorgan, the market town of Cowbridge, to the castles of Cardiff, Castell Coch and Caerphilly.
From 2000 to 2013 I sold prints of my paintings. Many of my original paintings are still for sale where indicated, see ordering page for more information on ordering.