Statement

Painter, photographer, writer & lecturer Patricia Aithie has twenty-five years experience of living and travelling in the Middle and Far East and beyond. She specialises in travel, culture and faith. She is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers, and elected a fellow of The Royal Geographical Society and awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 1993 for 'Travel Writing and Biography' related to Southern Arabia.

Born in Cardiff in 1957, Patricia studied at Cardiff High School where she was a member of the Literary and Debating Society, co-organiser of the Photographic Society and Head Girl. She studied 'English Art & Architecture' during the summer of 1976 with Griselda Pollock and Nick Boulting, at Villiers Park, Oxford and then went to study at Cardiff and Canterbury Colleges of Art where she gained a 2:1 BA Hons in Fine Art with commendation in The History of Art.
Apart from business and travel writing courses, Patricia also undertook a six month part time course with the Glamorgan School of Journalism. She has written on art and culture for both local, (e.g. The Western Mail & Wales on Sunday, Planet), national (e.g. The Observer Magazine, The British Yemeni Society Journal) and international newspapers, magazines and publishers (e.g. Focus Magazine, United Arab Emirates) and for eighteen years has run her own business, an independent photolibrary, supplying pictures and text to editors around the world - which she has recently given up to spend her time as an artist and lecturer on art and culture. She has exhibited her photography and painting internationally, often working with artists from different cultures, sometimes writing art catalogues and lecturing extensively. She led courses on the History of World Art and Culture in the United Arab Emirates and has lectured at The Royal Institute of British Architects, London. She has written a number of books and photographed many mostly on art and culture.

Her work is also in private and public collections around the world including the National Library of Wales and she has served on many committees including The Arts Council of Wales (five years) and Ffotogallery where she was chair, Cardiff Civic Society and Conservation and Cardiff City Planning Committees due to her interest in architecture and has initiated, advised and supported cultural festivals and centres, and helped with the exhibition space at The Gate Arts Centre for about two years. Patricia has exhibited photographs and paintings in numerous venues and has many private and public collectors. She presently exhibits her painting through The Martin Tinney Gallery in Cardiff.

Patricia has had a wide experience of broadcasting includingWomens Hour, Mal Pope, BBC News 24, The Afternoon Shift, Five Live, talking about travel writing and photography. This includes a half hour Kaleidoscope Feature 'Rebuilding On the Roof of Arabia' BBC Radio 4 with producer Anthony Denselow. 'Journey's Through Dust', a BBC Wales Television 60 minute documentary, as associate producer, presenter and script writer. Producer/Director was Dafydd Llyr James. 'From Tiger Bay to Steamerpoint' & 'From Steamerpoint to Tiger Bay' BBC Radio Wales. Researched, wrote, and presented two half hour programmes. Producer - Alison Quinn. Broadcast three times.

www.patriciaaithie.co.uk