Poet Portraits Portreadau Beirdd results from a year-long project initiated by artist Lorraine Bewsey to paint twenty leading poets with strong connections to Wales.

Her portraits are executed in pastel, in a uniquely expressive hyper-realist style which has been greeted with praise by critics, curators - and the sitters themselves. This publication, produced to coincide with a touring exhibition of the paintings, is an illuminating insight into the work of a prodigious talent. The stamina involved in producing such a significant body of work is in itself impressive. To maintain a supremely high standard so consistently across all twenty paintings (and a self-portrait) is truly remarkable. Lorraine says of her work: "Skill in drawing, in the subtle and accurate use of colour, are essential to me as an artist. I want my portraits not only to draw out the essential character of my subjects, but to be appreciated for the quality of line and tone. I want visitors to my exhibition to feel that the skill of an individual artist in drawing and painting is important. I want them to appreciate the continuity of artistic endeavour over the centuries." Art critic and lecturer Dr Anne Price-Owen's thoughtful Introduction places Lorraine's work in a wider context, while the artist adds a personal essay in which she outlines her methods and motives for this ambitious undertaking. The poets themselves have generously contributed a poem each to accompany their portrait. The Subjects: Dannie Abse, Tony Curtis, Grahame Davies, Christine Evans, Catherine Fisher, Peter Finch, Paul Groves, Paul Henry, Gwyneth Lewis, Tim Liardet, Hilary Llewellyn-Williams, Patrick McGuinness, Christopher Meredith, Robert Minhinnick, Twm Morys, Pascale Petit, Owen Sheers, Zoë Skoulding, Meic Stephens, Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch