I’m very pleased to be exhibiting again with MOMA Machynlleth. Portraits and Dance is my third show with the gallery, following my exhibition of nudes in 2007 (my first ever solo show), and Portraits of Comedians in 2014 (supported by the Machynlleth Comedy Festival).


Isaac Lewis, 2025, Charcoal on paper, 44cm x 32cm

The current exhibition presents a broad range of pictures from the last few years – oil paintings on canvas and panel, and charcoal drawings on paper – focussing mainly on my work with dancers.

As artist in residence with Ballet Cymru I was able to follow the company through the development and performance of many productions, and found huge inspiration in their artistry and creative processes. Working in both rehearsal and theatre spaces, I produced pictures responding to the dancers and choreography, occasionally involving particular lighting, costumes, and so on.


Ann Louise Wall (Lockdown Dancers 44), 2020, Oil on panel, 23cm x 30cm

In the painting studio – working with members of National Dance Company Wales and National Youth Dance Wales, and well as Ballet Cymru and others – the approach is much more personal and direct. Through improvisation and experiment, dancers and I collaborate together to find compositions which are often very expressive, reflecting individuals’ personality and creativity. Occasionally these poses can be fairly dynamic or gestural – or even precarious – though in all cases I consider the pictures we make to be concerned as much with portraiture as with figure or dance painting.

Also included in the exhibition is a small selection from my Lockdown Dancers series, made via Zoom and video sharing with dancers across the UK and Europe during the Covid pandemic, together with a recent oil sketch of a nude, and three portraits of comedians – the latter intended as little callbacks to my 2007 and 2014 shows.


Mike Wozniak, 2014, Oil on canvas, 35cm x 45cm

I’d like to thank the gallery – and particularly Ruth Lambert – for their continued support throughout my career, and I hope that visitors enjoy the exhibition.

Portraits and Dance will run until May 9th.


Indigo Tarran, 2025, Oil on panel, 23cm x 18cm