Explore Creative and Beautiful Artists from Wales
Walk past homes of over 600 ancient castles, with stunning landscapes and feel like you are in a fairytale. Feel the layers of rich history and Celtic culture embedded in its dramatic cliffsides. Understand the mountains which have witnessed a world before humans and even dinosaurs. Listen to a language rooted in poetry, folklore, and storytelling that dates back to the Iron Age. Our beautiful sister country to the left, Wales, is an ‘old soul,’ abundant in creative inspiration, influencing artists whose roots are embedded in the land and culture. From music to traditional art, via fashion, read more about the creativity coming out of Wales today in Explore Creative and Beautiful Artists from Wales.
Welsh Poets
Did you know that Welsh poetry is one of Europe’s oldest continuous literary traditions, covering over 1,500 years of history? The Welsh language, also called Cymraeg, has a melodic rhythm to every sentence and is rooted in poetry, folklore, and storytelling. Then, the Welsh language was suppressed with the Laws in Wales Acts, which made English the only allowed language in law courts. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, children were beaten if they spoke the language in schools. It wasn’t until 1993 that these laws were repealed, and now writers hope to bring back this Welsh literary history through joint bilingual expression.
Ken Follett and Sarah Waters
In literature, there’s very likely a Welsh writer to suit any mood. Interested in epic stories with spies and thrills set in historical settings? Try Ken Follett with his bestselling, edge-of-your-seat page turners. Want to time-travel to the Victorian era and gush over heartstopping lesbian stories? Sarah Waters will be right up your alley.
Dylan Thomas
And of course, you cannot talk about Welsh writers without mentioning Dylan Thomas, who’s considered the greatest Welsh poet. He has inspired musicians throughout time with his musicality and surreal, powerful imagery. From 1967, when he was featured on the cover of The Beatles’ album, ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,’ all the way to 2024, when Taylor Swift mentioned him in her song, ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’ Even Bob Dylan took his stage name from the iconic writer, known for his incredible lyricism. This poetic culture of Welsh writing has inspired other musicians as well.
Statue of Thomas in the Maritime Quarter of Swansea, image by Amgueddfa Cymru
Welsh music artists
We all remember the Velvet Underground, an infamously unconventional rock-punk group from New York. But did you know that the bassist and founding member, John Cale, was Welsh? Known as the ‘Land of Song,’ it’s no surprise that Wales boasts a rich musical heritage with Celtic roots, male vocal choirs, and extraordinary harmony arrangements. Various artists have brought the Welsh tradition of folk and poetry-focused music to the modern age. In the 60s, Dame Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones rose to popularity, defining Welsh singing styles in the public mind. Jones’ legacy lives on, even today, with his emotive and magnetic hits, ‘Sexbomb,’ “She’s a Lady,’ or even ‘It’s Not Unusual,’ perfect for a nostalgic night out.
Duffy and Marina and the Diamonds
In recent times, we might remember Duffy, who was a sensation in 2008 with her Grammy-winning pop album, “Rockferry.” However, Welsh artists have continued to thrive in the mainstream. MARINA, formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds, is a darling in the electropop world for her witty lyricism and creative concept albums. With her 2010s hits, such as ‘Primadonna’ and ‘Oh No!,’ some might be shocked to learn this indie-pop ‘diamond’ was born in Brynmawr, Wales.
Aleighcia Scott
Aleighcia Scott, an up-and-coming reggae artist, challenges notions of what it means to look or be Welsh by representing the soul and passion of her Jamaican-Welsh background. With her powerful and angelic voice, her music has topped UK reggae charts and earned her a place as a Grammy Recording Academy Member.
Welsh artists
Music isn’t the only way Welsh artists have expressed their heritage and love for the nation. When you have landscapes that look straight out of a storybook in the way Wales does, it’s no wonder that many painters have tried to encapsulate its heart and beauty. In fact, it’s believed that Welsh painter Richard Wilson defined modern landscape painting, choosing to paint ‘true-to-nature’ rather than showing an idealised representation like his contemporaries. Nearly two centuries later, Sir Kyffin Williams was known for using an impasto-style of painting (paint thickly laid on a surface) to sculpt the rugged mountains and great farmlands of Wales onto the canvas, conveying the depth of the rolling Welsh countryside.
Lake Avernus by Richard Wilson, National Gallery of Victoria
Kim James-Williams is a contemporary artist who takes the same formula of capturing Wales as she sees it. However, she takes an abstractionist approach, taking small items from her everyday life and expressing them with watercolour and ink. From boats to trees, down to the smallest of pebbles, James-Williams brings out the sublime in these ordinary objects from her home in West Wales.
Welsh actors
The Welsh community also thrive in the scenes of theatre and cinema. The first one to come to mind might be Richard Burton, whose legacy is marked by his incredibly tumultuous and passionate marriage to actress Elizabeth Taylor and their extravagant spending. More than that, however, Burton was a powerful Welsh Shakespearean actor with a low baritone voice that captured the hearts of Hollywood in the 60s.
Others include Catherine Zeta-Jones, who brings her musical theatre flair to the silver screen, and Sir Anthony Hopkins, known for his chilling portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in ‘The Silence of the Lambs,’ and who was even knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1993. But keep your eyes on some smaller (and younger) Welsh actors, like 11-year-old Leo Harris, who was nominated for TV Times favourite young actor for his role in the 2024 BBC drama, ‘Lost Boys and Fairies.’
Richard Burton, image by 20th Century Fox
Welsh clothing brands
Fashion is just as much of an art form as any other, and just like the others, Welsh brands make references to their culture and history. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, fashion revolved around the rural working-class lifestyle. Wool and woven textiles were used, such as flannel and striped patterned dresses. The Welsh hat, a tall, felt hat with a wide brim, completed this national outfit.
Julien Macdonald
This history of knitwear is what inspired Julien Macdonald to begin his high-glamour designer brand, which started with the knitting his mother and sister did during his childhood in Merthyr Tydfil. Also from South Wales is Laura Ashley, who designed small fabric prints out of a small rural town until the brand took off into a worldwide retailer.
Wales Perfumery
Now, in the realm of perfume, Wales Perfumery is capturing the wealth of Welsh culture in the form of stunning scents. The scents are created in a lab in the countryside of Monmouthshire in the beautiful Wye Valley of Wales. The lab itself is nestled in nature as it overlooks a stunning 500-year-old Secret Walled Garden.
Natur Perfume Collection
With each scent created in a lush, green landscape, it makes sense that their first collection, Natur, was inspired by the natural world of Wales, and includes scents in Eau De Parfum, hair and body mists.
Their perfume, Coast, is a refreshing and bright perfume with citrusy notes of Lemon, Mandarin, Bergamot, and Lime, with a heart of Seaweed absolute and Ozonic accord, with base notes of Light Amber, Driftwood, and Moss. This perfume captures the wild, exhilarating feeling of arriving at the coast at its most revitalising.
Country is a clean and green perfume with Petitgrain, Neroli, and Fig leaf top notes, Narcissus, Water, and Cut Grass at its heart, and Vetiver and Soft woods at its base. Capturing the essence of the great outdoors, lovers of the countryside will feel right at home. Based on the woodlands, the perfume, Forest, has the earthy top notes of Moss-covered Oak trees and Apple, heart notes of Fir needle, Saffron, and Spices, with a base of Sandalwood, Cedar, Vetiver, and Patchouli. This complex, yet grounding scent will be sure to immerse you in the ancient woodlands of Wales.
The last perfume in the collection, Star, is a serene scent with zesty top notes of Yuzu and Cedrat, and it’s calming heart notes of Jasmine, Green tea absolute, Magnolia, and Waterlily, with base notes of Sandalwood, Tonka, and Ambretta seed. This is a scent that is calming and lustrous, the feeling of looking up at an open sky of stars.
The Celts Perfume Collection
In a new collection, ‘The Celts,’ the brand celebrates five different Celtic tribes in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, and Brittany with five different scents. From a whiff of one of them, you could explore the ancient tribes in their daily lives, learning about their historical environments and livelihoods.
Silures Celtic perfume is inspired by the historic Silures tribe of southeastern Wales and honours their fierce, and yet still refined, spirit. Built around an Osmanthus absolute, the scent is gourmand and resinous with an Apricot and leathery profile that matches this tribe’s energy. Blackberries evoke a foraged fruitiness, while a Beltane cake accord, made with Nutmeg, Cardamom, Cloves, Vanilla, Brandy, and Butter, touches on the tribes tradition of celebration and ritual. The base is warm and with a leathery background and notes of Guaiacwood, Balsamic accord, Oak, and Foraged nuts. This perfume is an honouring and celebration of the Silures tribe and the legacy they have left behind in Wales.
Travel South to the Celtic tribe in Brittany, France, with Celt perfume, a scent built on Tobacco absolute and a Mead accord. Leather and Wool accentuate the earthy richness, while Ebony and Amber bring a groundedness to the base. Textile accord and a standing stone accord were specially made for this perfume, evoking the rituals and craftsmanship of the Celts. For Europe’s largest stronghold of Celtic heritage, Celt beautifully captures their endurance through the ages.
With Cornovii Celtic Perfume, explore the bright, sparkling scents of Cornwall’s trade across the Mediterranean Sea, bringing back aromatic wine, coral, gold, and olives. There’s a burst of citrus with the Pomelo, Bergamot, and Lemon that’s brightened by Spa Water, with a warm heart of Olive fruit absolute, Bay Leaf, Mineral accord, and a distinctive Gold accord. A base of Frankincense adds depth, pulling the fragrance together. This golden scent captures the sophistication of far travels and traded treasures.
Based on the Scottish settlement in Edinburgh, Votadini Celtic Perfume is based around a Red wine accord with Red berries adding warmth and an Earthenware accord that reminds wearers of the Celts’ pottery. Plaid, Hay, Cypriol, Cistus absolute, Leather, and Patchouli make up the seductive base notes. A scent as untamed and beautiful could only represent the Votadini tribe in all their heart.
Rounding out the collection, Iverni Celtic Perfume is an airy, elemental fragrance evoking the untamed beauty of ancient Ireland. Opening with an Ice and Snow accord and balanced with Juniper, the scent is contrasted with a striking heart of Hot metal, Iron, and Rose absolute. The scent is finished with grounded base notes of Timber, Moss, Damp Stone, and Canadian spruce. This perfume matches the power of Ireland at its most wild and untamed.
Made by perfumer Louise Smith, every scent is gender-neutral, to be used and enjoyed by everyone. Not sure which scent is right for you? Try the Celtic Perfume Discovery set, which includes samples of the whole collection. Or, set the tone in your home with their home fragrances. With scents ranging from Citrus, Spices, Floral, to Marine, explore candles, perfume sprays, body care, pillow sprays, and more. These perfumes aren’t just made in Wales by a Welsh perfumer, but they embody the heart and soul of Welsh culture, representing a nation of beautiful landscapes and rich Celtic heritage.
Artists all over Wales have long taken inspiration from the country’s rich landscape, history, and cultural traditions. From the breathtaking peaks of Snowdonia, the rolling hills and rugged coastlines that have shaped a national love of the land, to this history of music and poetry that is baked into the culture, to their Celtic tradition of folklore, Wales has birthed incredible creatives and artists that represent and bring forward their history today. In every creative medium of expression, the Welsh identity makes itself known, bringing pride and a richness to the table that could not be found anywhere else.
Find out more about Wales Perfumery here.
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