gwanwyn.org.uk

We’ll Keep A Welcome

editor — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:05:52 +0000

If you are looking for an entertainment with plenty of singalong content then try this…

First two panels going to print

aliceblog — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:49:05 +0000

Well, after months of research and many late nights at the computer and drawing pad the first two panels for the walls of Seren Unit are on there way to print. The first panel is 3.5 metres along and is packed full of images from around the Rhondda. They have been picked out of the Rhondda Digital Archive, donations from local photographers, images I’ve taken on my roaming around the Rhondda, the archives of AM Leighton Andrews and many more – all of whom will be acknowledged at the unit for the contributions.

The panel gives an outline of a panarama with the images appearing where the land would be, and a blue sky above. This has been overlayed with short positive affirmations that the staff have been using on the ward notice board to improve morale. In case I haven’t described that well enough I’ve attached a picture.

Working with Pentagon design in Bridgend, Derryl the designer has upsized all the photographs for us and worked up the design to print on the vinyl panelling.

Here are some close ups of the images included in the panel (as its quite hard to see from this mock up!).

Next post will describe the second panel! Looking forward to an installation date in the very near future.

Exhibition in Mold features new Gwanwyn painting by Emrys Williams

editor — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:16:43 +0000

As part of Gwanwyn 2011, with help from the Arts Council of Wales Gwanwyn festival commissioned a new work by renowned Welsh artist Emrys Williams. The work (entitled ‘Gwanwyn’) will be on exhibit at Oriel Theatr Clwyd from 21 Jan to 3 March 2012 and we are sure it will generate a lot of interest on the Welsh Arts scene. You can see more about the creation of the work on Emrys’ blog (click on the ‘blogs’ tab of this website). The painting will be on exhibit at other locations throughout the year…watch this space for details.

Gwanwyn 2011 oil and wax on canvas 195cm x 250cm

gwanwynblog — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:44:07 +0000

This is an image of the painting which is now complete.I worked on the piece before Christmas, posting images in the last blog. I thought it was finished at this point and then looked at it at different times over a period of two weeks, in order to be certain that there was nothing more to be added or taken away from the image.

The work will first be shown at Theatr Clwyd , Mold, in an exhibition of my recent paintings that will be held from 21st January- 3rd March 2012 ( preview Friday 20th January,7pm to 9pm, all welcome!).Included in the show will be works from Sarah Hope and Jan Gardner who were also shortlisted for the commission.

Flowers, wax, abstraction

gwanwynblog — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:11:34 +0000

A period of intense work on the large piece, with changes, developments and an interweaving of foreground, middle ground and distance. I worked over a period of time on many parts of the painting; changing the” flower in box” elements, adding abstract signs in thick white paint , erasing or modifying their tone so they are like muted signs.I also worked on the foliage and tree, referring to the Botticelli painting with its laden quality of overhanging trees. Parts of the picture were worked on with transparent wax, creating tension on the surface .I felt a great sense of getting lost in the work, improvising and trying things in a fluid manner.

Image update

gwanwynblog — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:31:25 +0000

These are new images of the large painting.I worked with the painting on the floor with stained colour developing the mid- ground of foliage and exploring transparent coloured washes to suggest back lighting , playing with spatial layers.

The Riverfront does Strictly!

editor — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:52:43 +0000

The Riverfront does Strictly!

Rubicon Dance are running a 6 week social dancing course at the Riverfront Theatre, led by Darren Jones from Saturn Dance.

Sessions are held at the Riverfront Theatre, Bristol Packet Wharf, Newport, NP20 1 HG .

Starting on the 7th January we have:-

Ballroom (Saturdays from 4-5pm): learning dances such as the waltz, tango, quickstep and foxtrot

Latin ( Saturdays from 5-6pm): learning dances such as the cha cha, rumba and jive.

Classes cost £3.50 per class, £20 for a block booking in either Ballroom or Latin or £35 for a block booking for both!

Call 01633 656679 to reserve you place and avoid disappointment.

Alchemy and botany- new images of large painting

gwanwynblog — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:11:29 +0000

These are recent images of the large painting as it is developing. I have worked on the image of the tree, the reflection of this image and elements hanging from the tree itself.These elements include house- shaped forms that have flowers in, relating to the idea of the Primavera painting and abstract images that I see as motifs depicting elemental forms of energy or potential.Seeing the work in progress an artist friend said it looked like the work of an alchemist and a botanist; I thought this was a good way of describing the work in progress

Large painting

gwanwynblog — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:34:53 +0000

These are images of the studio showing the first sessions working on the large painting.Over the coming weeks I will photograph the work as it develops in the studio.

On beginning I had all the studies I had made around in the studio and also made some quick ink drawings before starting. Although the studies inform what I am doing I have to react naturally to the scale of the canvas, improvising across the surface.

blank canvas

first mark

first state

drawing exploring flower forms

detail

Please take part in our Gwanwyn 5 year survey

editor — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:45:00 +0000

We are contacting everyone who has ever participated in the festival to ask them to participate again – by completing a simple survey, which will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

The aim of the survey is:

to gather evidence and information that can illustrate and describe the climate for arts participation for older people in Wales

and

to evaluate the impact of Gwanwyn grant funding on event organisers, participants, and attending audiences.

Significantly, your responses will factor into how the Gwanwyn Festival of the Arts for Older People in Wales goes forward. Your input is very important to us, and we urge you to take some time to complete it. Further instructions – a link to the survey online or to request a paper copy, or indeed, to request the survey in Welsh, are below

Important Information: to complete the survey online, just follow this link: http://freeonlinesurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=dg66yo3y7fgela1969379

Complete your survey by 11 November to: gwanwynsurvey@agecymru.org.uk

If you wish to receive and complete the survey in Welsh, please send an email to gwanwynsurvey@agecymru.org.uk, stating ‘CYMRAEG’ in the Subject line.

If you wish to receive a paper copy of the English version, if please send an email to gwanwynsurvey@agecymru.org.uk, stating ‘PAPER COPY’ in the Subject Line.