Ray Howard-Jones

Ray Howard-Jones (1903-1996)

was born in Lambourn, Berkshire of Welsh parents. She was a gifted painter in oil, gouache and watercolour of coastal scenes and landscapes (especially of Pembrokeshire and the Gower Peninsular), and of still lifes and portraits. Ray (christened Rosemary) grew up in Penarth during World War I and she came to know Tenby and the Pembrokeshire coast and islands. She studied art at the Slade School in London 1920-24 under P W Steer and Professor Tonks. By the early years of World War II the work of Ray Howard Jones was getting noticed and she was to become an accredited war artist and her work is represented in the Imperial War Museum. In 1946 she attended the Patrick Allan-Fraser School of Art in Arbroath, where James Cowie RSA was warden.

In the period 1949-58, Ray Howard-Jones spent much time living and painting on the somewhat remote island of Skomer, off the Pembrokeshire coast near to Milford Haven. She also painted at the nearby island of Skokholm. Some of the pictures from this period were exhibited subsequently in solo shows held at the Leicester Galleries in London in 1959, 1961, 1964, 1967 and 1969. Ray also exhibited with the Royal Academy and other leading galleries and her work is held in a number of public collections, including the Government Art Collection and the National Museum of Wales who hold 26 paintings. She died in London aged 93 years.

In 2023 a book on the artist by David Moore was released titled ‘Ray Howard-Jones – My Hand is the Voice of the Sea’, published by Bird Eye Books. It is very well written and illustrated beautifully.

Current Works