ESTABLISHED Builth Wells based artist, David Bellamy’s latest book has received top recognition.

David Bellamy’s Arctic Light, has been awarded the title of Best Outdoor Book 2017, by the Outdoor Writers’ & Photographers’ Guild.

A result of David’s many expediions to the Scandinavian Arctic, the book is filled full of the artist’s wonderful sketches plus watercolours of glaciers, mountains, iceburgs, Inuit settlements, Artic wildlife and much more.  

Mark Whitley, of Dalesman publications was one of the judges of the award.

Mark said: “In a market place seemingly full of ‘personal accounts’ of some journey or another, this book is singularly different, bringing a fascinating insight into the creative artistic process and providing a readable, informative account of exploring one of the world’s wildest places.”

While David spends a lot of time travelling to far flung corners of the globe, with his work as an artist, the author insists he is always pleased to return to Powys after an expedition.

David said: “Powys is incredibly rich in magnificent landscape scenery for the artist to paint, but I do have to go a little further afield to get my fix of icebergs and glaciers. With their stunning colours and reflective qualities these vast ice features make the most awe-inspiring subjects.”

David also revealed that one of his many highlights was sketching a walrus.

According to the artist, the walrus is an obliging creature, which will often pose, unmoving for ages, before adopting an entirely new posture, perhaps this time with a fellow walrus.  

All, of course, amidst the widely recognisable but most wonderfully rude walrus noises.

David originally comes from Pembrokeshire and has written 18 books during his career.

His paintings can currently be viewed at the Ardent Gallery in Brecon, which follows on from his successful exhibition on the Arctic in Belgravia, London.