born ▁Richard ▁I wan ▁Ell is ▁Roberts ) ▁is ▁a ▁Wel sh ▁artist , ▁born ▁May ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁in ▁S arn au , ▁Mer ion eth shire , ▁near ▁B ala . ▁ ▁Biography ▁I wan ▁B ala ▁was ▁raised ▁in ▁G wy dd el wer n , ▁near ▁Cor wen , ▁Den b igh shire , ▁and ▁attended ▁Y sg ol ▁y ▁Ber w yn ▁compreh ensive ▁school ▁in ▁B ala . ▁He ▁studied ▁ge ography ▁and ▁politics ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Aber yst w yth ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁then ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁he ▁studied ▁fine ▁art ▁at ▁Card iff ▁College ▁of ▁Art . ▁He ▁gained ▁an ▁MA ▁in ▁fine ▁art ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Wales ▁Institute ▁Card iff ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁B ala ▁is ▁Wel sh - spe aking . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁he ▁became ▁artist ▁in ▁residence ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Gallery ▁of ▁Z imb ab we . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁he ▁presented ▁the ▁S 4 C ▁arts ▁programme ▁Del wed d au ▁Z imb ab we ▁( ). ▁ ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁B ala ▁was ▁senior ▁lect urer ▁at ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Creative ▁Arts ▁and ▁Human ities ▁at ▁University ▁of ▁Wales , ▁Tr inity ▁Saint ▁David , ▁Car mar then . ▁ ▁B ala ▁creates ▁his ▁art - work ▁using ▁memor ised ▁and ▁imag