AmeriCymru spoke to American Welsh artist Jacqueline Davidson about her life and work, and her recent visit to Wales.

See examples of her work below and on Facebook .

"My favorite thing about Wales is Wales. It is different and is glad to be so."

AmeriCymru: Hi Jacqueline and many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. When did you first develop an interest in painting and the arts?

Jacqueline: As most artists I started embellishing everything as a child. It was rather hard on my teachers though convincing me that I did not deserve extra credit for horses running across the test papers. When I was 13 I found a 15th century portrait of a woman at the U of A art gallery. I was moved by the fact that from the painting you knew who she was. You could see a soul there.

AmeriCymru: How would you describe your work?

Jacqueline: Searching, trying to find souls in people, places and animals.

I really try to introduce people to looking past the facade.Like the Kaiya portrait (see below) , we could have sat her in a chair but I wanted to show who she is, her energy and her love of life.

AmeriCymru: What artistic media do you work with? Do you have a preference for one medium?

Jacqueline: I like to mix it up. I really don't want people 50 years from now commenting on my brush strokes. I want them commenting on how the painting affected them.

AmeriCymru: What is your family or ancestral connection with Wales and when did you last visit? What are your fondest memories of Wales?

Jacqueline: Hiraeth... My Mother passed down a 300 year old story of 5 Welsh brothers who came to the USA with William Penn. Our bother was Samuel. He did not wish to stay but was never able to go home. So he asked that it get passed down not to forget Wales. It was passed down. There was also Jeffers, Waltons and on my Father's side Garroway. We went home in 2012. We travelled from North to South and into the interior. It was a quick lesson in Wales . My favorite thing about Wales is Wales. It is different and is glad to be so. It is not Disney land but Disney land would love to be Wales.

AmeriCymru: Where can people go online to view your work?

Jacqueline: Facebook, Art by Jacqueline

AmeriCymru: What's next for Jacqueline Davidson? What are you working on at the moment?

Jacqueline: I work as the Resident Artist at Floyd County Museum in Charles City, Iowa. My son Patric Davidson is a Horologist and it is our dream to open a small watch Factory in Wales with a shop attached. Not realistic but???

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the members and readers of AmeriCymru?

Jacqueline: Only what my Mother used to tell me"Of course your different, your Welsh!"

Devils Bridge, Wales	Kaiya