BIOGRAPHY
Colin Herbert Beyne Jones (1928 – 1967) was born in Newport (Gwent), the only
child of self-educated, intelligent parents who were determined that their son
should have every opportunity available to him. He was not a very robust child
and to ‘build him up’ he was sent to work on a farm in the Wye Valley every
school holiday. His father, who was once a regimental boxing champion, also
taught him to box. After leaving school at sixteen he went to Newport School of
Art (1). The painter Thomas Rathmell, who was
a great influence on him, taught him there. He chose to do his eighteen months
National Service (2) in the middle of the
course. When he left the army, there was a six months gap before his course
restarted. He took a City & Guilds certificate in painting and decorating
to give himself a sound understanding of his chosen medium; oil paint. He
studied for his Art Teachers’ Diploma at Cardiff School of Art
(3) where he met his future wife, the fine art weaver Jean Roberts.
Ernest Zobole, Charles Burton and members of the Rhondda Group were also among
his fellow students at the time.
His first teaching post was at Gowerton Boy’s Grammar School
(4), the former school of the painter Ceri Richards. Whilst teaching
there he was able to paint portraits of many local characters. The most notable
of these was Ruth, who was a retired Penclawdd cockle gatherer. This picture
was painted in dark tones with the fluid brushstrokes that he enjoyed before
taking up professional portrait painting. Following this, his next appointment
was at Quakers Yard Grammar School (5).
Whilst there he became very much part of the Merthyr art scene. A striking
portrait from this period was of the poacher Bill Power, painted in a similar
style to his Penclawdd period. He also painted many landscapes with chapels and
terraced houses with pigeon lofts.
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