Permanent gallery shows.
The Five Valleys Art Gallery
King St, Stroud GL5 1RR
Monthly themed mini exhibitions.
April theme 2026 Stroud Town.
The Crown
Frampton Mansell
Stroud
GL6 8JG
Restaurant and reception area.
Biography
Christopher Hammond Urmston James currently works with ceramic, paint, ink and wood. A self taught artist inspired by an Italian Residency in Farindola in 2015. Winner of a contemporary plein air award 2023 and finalist of the Water Colour National call out at the Mall Gallery in 2022. Creates experimental spontaneous dynamic sketches using a wide range of mediums applied with hand made tools. 2023 and 2024 ceramic pieces and oil paintings were accepted into the South West Academy Show at Sidmouth. An advocate of environmental action through high quality public art. Chris seeks out public spaces where art and adaptation can make a difference, examples include the conversion of a stone bus shelter into a library with an allotment mural, the creation of a small sculpture zone next to Stroud Brewery and a mural covered shed for the Cheltenham Science Festival celebrating the science of growing food 2025 (commission for Gloucester Heritage Centre). Current focused projects include woodland, park life and urbanisation. Born 1.1.1961 in Carmarthen father was a travelling salesman lived in Tenby, Llanelli, Swansea, Gower before moving to live near Windsor where the greatest inspiration came from art teacher Cliff King. At 12 Chris won the Swansea U 18 art competition and passed art O Level at 14. With a grandmother as a local artist in Llandeilo Chris was able to paint with oils from an early age. In 1979 painted a large mural featuring on the BBC Nationwide programme. During the same year Chris made the national press on three occasions. Sadly family break up resulted in leaving home with a short time studying art before embarking on a teaching then management career. Retiring from education in 2021 at 60 life as a full time artist finally began. Currently Chris shows his work at the Five Valleys Art Gallery, Stroud, The Crown Inn, Frampton Mansell with occasional use of The Sixteen Gallery Cheltenham and Three Stories Nailsworth.
Roles
Established the new Five Valleys Art gallery Stroud 2026.
Organiser of Cader Idris painting Week (April), Gower Paint Out (May) Cotswold Paint out (August).
Administrator: 21K members, UK Plein Air Artists, Facebook.
Woodruffs cafe exhibition coordinator
Woodruffs cafe portrait sketching evenings
Outdoor painting and portraiture groups organiser
Brewery sculpture zone supervisor
Exhibitions and Events
2026 Started in February 2026. Five Valleys Art Gallery, Five Valleys Shopping Precinct , Stroud. Permanent gallery.
2025 Sixteen Gallery Small group show. Cheltenham November 27 to Dec 3.
2025 Sixteen Gallery Cheltenham July
2025 Cirencester Museum July
2025 Abstract exhibition Stroud
2024 100 artist exhibition Stroud.
2024 Member of the UK republican institute of oil painters.
2023 Ceramic entry "blue shed" accepted into the South West Academy Show. October.
2023 Ceramics show Stroud College June, Stroud.
2023 March. Spring Gallery Exhibition Cheltenham
2023 Article published in Steel Jackdaw Art and Culture Magazine
2022 Invited to sketch Adam Horowitz poetry to Jazz performance part of the Stroud Arts Festival.
2022 Participation in the selective Connections exhibition
2022 Winner of the Plein Air Contemporary Award, Cheltenham.
2022 Partnership with Woodruffs Cafe initiated.
2022 Vase and Painting successfully entered into the South West Academy summer show in Sidmouth.
2021 Art in the Park, Cheltenham.
2021 Completed the conversion of Eastcombe Bus shelter, Mural and library.
2020 Enigmatics Exhibition Sub Rooms Stroud.
2020 Completed wood chiselling course, Hawkwood, Stroud.
2015 Farindola artist in residency, Italy.
