MEET THE MEMBER – Oriel Glasfryn Gallery
In November 2024, Own Art established a new partnership with Arts Council of Wales and opened up the scheme to Welsh galleries for the first time. Since then, we have welcomed eighteen galleries from across the country into the Own Art community, facilitated over 130 interest-free loans worth more than £119,000, and connected Welsh galleries to a UK-wide audience for both in-person and online sales.
We have loved getting to know our new Welsh members over the past few months and in this edition of MEET THE MEMBER, we take a deep dive into the workings of Oriel Glasfryn Gallery, of Caerwys, North East Wales
Dave and Lise Roberts opened Oriel Glasfryn Gallery in Easter 2022, fulfilling their life-long dream of running a gallery that celebrates the best contemporary artists and makers from across Wales. Dave is a professional artist specialising in pastel landscape paintings of North Wales. His work is shown in the gallery alongside a wonderful collection of art and craft pieces from makers across the country, showcasing everything from glass and textiles to jewellery and ceramics, to wood and metal work.
In 2019 the couple bought Glasfryn Hall and began the construction of a contemporary purpose-built gallery alongside the main Hall. They moved in just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit and opened their doors not long after the lockdowns had ended, so “in many ways our early days were not only new to us but also opened a new viewing experience to many people who were just venturing out again”, Lise recalled.
Three years since its opening, the gallery remains an independent, family run business, with everyone in the family playing their part, including Dave and Lise’s daughter Charlotte who is Gallery manager. Their aim is to showcase the very best in Welsh Art and to become a recognised player in the UK gallery scene. Additionally, they want to help make art ownership accessible to more people, be that someone who is an established collector, or somebody who is just starting their journey in collecting and owning art.
“We have met people who have never before been in position to buy art before… and it is those moments, when you see someone walk off with a beautiful painting or piece of art that has pulled on their heart strings, that you realise what a formative moment you have played in their life”.
The gallery supports over fifty artists at any one time which is a great responsibility but also a fantastic opportunity to work with, get to know and champion new creatives. The relationship that the Oriel Glasfryn Gallery team have with the artists they represent is something they are very proud of – “We have a reputation for nurturing emerging artists and that gives us a great opportunity to not only curate but also to play a key role in their development and areas of practice”
As Dave developed his own creative practice, he realised how nerve-wracking it can be for an artist to step forward and promote their own work to galleries. His experience of this became the foundation for Oriel Galsfryn Gallery’s approach to its own artists. Working with artists living in Wales (or with a strong Welsh connection) and across all artistic mediums, the gallery has become a springboard for emerging and established artists alike – “We encourage collaboration amongst our artists and give feedback based on sales or customers – the relationship we have with our artists is really paramount to us”.
Oriel Glasfryn Gallery was one for the first Welsh galleries to join Own Art when the scheme was opened in Wales in November last year; following Own Arts new partnership Arts Council of Wales after closure of the countries long-standing Collectorplan scheme. When asked how their experience with Own Art had been so far, Lise shared the following,
“Own Art is a massive bonus for us and is so professional in its approach that it makes it very easy for our buyers to not only understand but actually apply for finance. A real differentiator is that people will get a decision immediately and can walk away with their purchases on the same day. It is a bit of a game changer in some circumstances and really does fit in well with our ethos of accessibility for art ownership”.
Oriel Glasfryn Gallery offers an opportunity for people to experience and see beautiful things, and with Own Art now a part of that offer, people can spread the cost of works they fall in love with. Lise said that this opportunity “really makes a difference” and allows people to “step into a new journey of discovery”. They believe, as we do here at Own Art, that art should be accessible to everyone, and that breaking down the perception of a gallery as an elitist space where you’re not talk or enjoy yourself, is essential to making people feel more comfortable and confident accessing creative spaces. Oriel Glasfryn Gallery is a part of Lise and David’s home; a domestic and relatable environment that not only welcomes people in but also allows them to imagine how the art could look in their own homes.
“Coloured walls, sculpture in the gardens, the gallery and house being dog and family friendly and a relaxed and calm environment are all contributors to that accessibility for everyone”, Lise explained.
The team at Oriel Glasfryn Gallery were discussing new ways of engaging more people in journey of buying art, whether they had lots, some or no experience of it. They came up with the fabulous idea of holding Own Art Day events during the run of their larger exhibitions where visitors could find out all about the scheme alongside newly exhibited artworks. Lise continued:
“We are bringing artists and their work to market; we want to demystify the buying process and really encourage people to take advantage of a scheme that ‘spreads’ the financial cost. Making that upfront first step can seem a bold move and by having a dedicated person on site – promoting and dealing with Own Art applications and enquiries we hope to promote awareness and a greater understanding of what is on offer”
On Saturday 19 April 2025, over the long Easter weekend and on the galleries third birthday, Oriel Glasfryn Gallery held their first Own Art Day. We were lucky enough to stop by and see the Own Art magic happening. We spoke to gallery manager Charlotte Roberts about how Own Art has been making a difference at Oriel Galsfryn gallery so far.
“We get a lot of people who’ve used Own Art previously, who could buy the artwork outright, but are choosing to stagger the payment. We hope to see more people who, like me, don’t earn loads of money or have lots saved in the bank but are passionate about art and are looking for more affordable ways to pay. People are so used to there being some kind of hidden fee or catch down the line, so we work hard to put everything in layman’s terms – ‘if you like this painting and you’re struggling to afford it, Own Art is as simple as it gets, you don’t even have to put a deposit down and you can take your artwork home straight away’”
Charlotte also told us about how Own Art has impacted her personal collecting journey,
“I found [the Own Art website] such a useful resource, even just finding what galleries are out there and what they’re up to. I like to pass that on to people, you know, who’ve paid for something through the Own Art scheme and say – here’s plenty of other galleries that offer it too. I’m going on holiday to Cornwall in a couple of weeks’ time and I’ve already pin-pointed all the galleries that I’m going to via the Own Art map“
Currently, Oriel Glasfryn Gallery has a fantastic exhibition involving works by ceramicist Gary Turner, who specialises in figurative pieces alongside the colour-filled abstract paintings of Jake Quinlan – which is proving to be very popular. Their summer exhibition will run throughout July and August and will focus on print, an exciting new direction for the gallery. “We have some great new artists joining us for 2025 – and are really excited about new emerging artists showcasing their work with us. We have some real talent in Wales, and it is going to be a great opportunity to showcase our artists across Glasfryn Hall and into our contemporary space”, Lise concluded.
Discover Oriel Galsfryn Gallery for yourself:
Visit their website: www.orielglasfryn.com
Follow them on Instagram: orielglasfryngallery
With thanks to Lise, David and Charlotte Roberts of Oriel Glasfryn Gallery. This interview has been edited for clarity, length and readability.