Aberystwyth Printmakers Print Collectors’ Club print for 2025 is Canwr Gwerin Llawn o Dristwch (Sorrowful Welsh Folk Singer) a white ground aquatint etching by Valleysbased Welsh artist John Abell.
Abell works mainly in painting, and also sells his original linocuts and drypoints via his highly successful Instagram imprint ‘Diwydiant Bwthynnod’ (Cottage Industry). His folk-art style visions of mythical and historical scenes based in the Welsh landscape have gained a large following.
Working in collaboration with Flora McLachlan RE, Abell has made this romantic image in two stages, drawing with the etching needle and then painting the aquatint tones in with white ground. The image was inspired by Shon ap Morgan, a satirical 18th century engraving of a Welshman riding a goat on his way to London. Abell has transformed this broadside into the vision of a gentle and creative soul amidst the stars, guitar in hand and dashing hat on head, borne high above the night-time town upon an obliging wild goat. Canwr Gwerin Llawn o Dristwch, Etching, 25 x 22cm, 2025, John Abell. Printed on Hahnemuhle Natural paper, sheet size 53 x 39cm. This print is available to purchase from the Aberystwyth Printmakers website aberystwythprintmakers.org.uk/printclub or by contacting Flora McLachlan on flm13@aber.ac.uk Priced at only £120 unframed, this is a perfect opportunity to invest in original art and support Welsh printmaking resources!
 
P&P is available for an additional £12.