Shani Rhys James was born in Australia from where her family came to the UK and settled in rural Wales. She studied at Loughborough and Central Saint Martins.
Shani is one of the most exciting painters of her generation. She has won many awards including the Jerwood Prize for Painting, A National Portrait award, the Gold Medal at the National Eisteddfod and ‘Woman in Culture’ Welsh Woman of the Year.
She has exhibited extensively both in the UK and abroad. Her paintings feature in private and public collections including the National Museum, Cardiff, Museum of Modern Art Wales, Arts Council England and the Jerwood Foundation.
Shani was awarded with the MBE in 2006.
