Studio in January

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda (Happy New Year)

I have decided to change the way I use my blog, for the past tw0 to nearly three years I have been only posting about finished pieces of art, exhibitions I have contributed in and commissions. I really want to open up my blog and start posting about works in progress, ideas, a monthly post of the studio (that I share with Morgan my husband) and other artists and makers who are local and international.

I'm super busy in the studio now, trying to finish off some Santes Dwynwen/St Valentine inspired jewellery for next months markets and following through with my ideas for new pieces of art work. Will blog a bit more when I have made some developments and progress.

rfhardy

DyfalDonc

I've promised to blog my side project which I co-run with my husband Morgan for nearly 6 months now, I hang my head low in shame! Once again I haven't written on the blog since October, so much has happened to me and to us. But it's January 2012, a new start so I begin with telling you about my making project. Since November we have been busy making mixed media collaged greeting cards, jewellery and badges to sell on our etsy shop named DyfalDonc.

Here is a little about us:

Dyfaldonc comes from the Welsh saying "dyfal donc a dyr y garreg", pronounced roughly "dove Al donk ah deer uh gah regg", direct translation means "a steady tapping breaks the stone".

DyfalDonc is a two team member gang, consisting of Morgan & Rebecca. Both are visual artists from North Wales but surprisingly met in the BIG smoke (London Town). Together they are Dad & Mam to their daughter Efa but to Etsy they’re co-runners of DyfalDonc their shop selling intriguing, unusal art, cards & jewellery.

"We love paper and glue, most of our images are from 50's, 60's, 70's books, old and/or discarded photographs of which we ensemble quirky collages or one off badge/pin sets. Our jewellery are made from wood, hand painted and collaged from photocopied anatomy and nature images. Hoping to create some one off pieces using original vintage/retro images in the future."

We have a facebook page too if you would like to join us, we run prize draws for goody bags everytime we reach a certain amount of fans. So join in.

Over the Christmas period we did 7 local fairs and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, it's a huge learning curve throwing yourself and the items you make out there for the public to scrutinise or love. It isn't like a gallery where you can hide from peoples comments. Also we have realised our products are very different to anything that is available around North Wales which I love but isn't commercial enough to put bread and butter on the table. It's hard to work around that line of creating pieces you enjoy and making money. But we're enjoying ourselves and I really enjoy the sense of community when we attend the markets. We start again next month in Caernarfon on the 4th Marchnad Neuadd y Farchnad and then the following Saturday in our home village of Bethesda in the local produce market. Fingers crossed it will go well.

Blue Commission

Created for Carys and Gary to celebrate their engagement last year, using the lyrics from a Super Furry Animals track and simplicity of the collage and the strong colour forget-me-not blue. I truly enjoyed working on this commission and wishing Carys and Gary all the best for their happy and joyful life ahead of them.

Time to reflect.....

I took my exhibition down this morning with the help of my father-in-law Gareth Griffith, who also is a outstanding visual artist based here in North Wales. Walking into the space again I realised how far my practice has gone and developed over the past 5 years, it's had its highs and lows but for an artist who doesn't work on her practice 24/7 ( I truly wish I could) I feel accomplished. But I still need to grow and experiment and keep pushing myself however that is a tad difficult when you have no space to work!!

I have been back in North Wales for a month now living between my parents and the in-laws, as much as Efa is thoroughly enjoying herself I am feeling slightly lost. I am desperately in need of a small space to call my own! Tent in the garden it is then!

What's next? well I am now a member of bocs a group for experimental, contemporary visual artist and musicians based in the local area. It's very exciting times for them but as a newbie I hope I can be helpful and useful to them in their new project. Watch this space!

I have started to work as well again on Cary's commission, feeling very positive about the piece just need the space! After hours working on the kitchen table it is then!

I have a couple of things to apply for locally and I'm also working freelance as a gallery assistant for Oriel Mostyn an excellent contemporary gallery in Llandudno. David Nash on display next month so I am very looking forward for the private view!

I have also realised I have not bloged about my etsy shop I co-produce and run with my husband Morgan, who is also a visual artist. I will blog it soon.

Here's to a eventful end of Summer and beginning of Autumn.

Keep it real, keep it arty

becsx

'Serch' my first solo exhibition.

My first solo exhibition will be opening next week in my home town of Bangor, Gwynedd. I'm not sure how I feel about it, these past months have been so hectic, I hope it inspires people to get involved with the North Wales contemporary art scene. Time are indeed a changing but it's a slow process here. If we want the creative, artistic youth to stay in the area, then the area needs to provide projects, galleries, centres to make the contemporary new generation of artists want to stay.

Keep it real, keep it arty

Becsx

MEMORY B(L)ANKS Exhibition

During the month of June I was part of a group exhibition in the North West of England at Axis Art Centre, Crewe. The project manager and curater was an artist called Emma Thackham www.emmathackham.com all together there was 26 artists reflecting on the impact of memory within contemporary issues of identity. Cultural, political and relational responses manifest through film, installation, sculpture, live art and sound. I created a new series of work called ''Cadw mi gei' within this I displayed two pieces of sculpture/wall installation, tiltled 'Nos da ffetws' and 'there is a thin line between love & hate'.

As one chapter of my life closes another opens....

Apologies once again for not keeping up to date with my blogs. Sorry. It is now the middle of July, two exhibitions done, Efa's first birthday gone by as quickly as you can say pwwwsssy cat, left the big smoke behind and ventured back to the homeland for a pit stop and I am now a wife. So the last 2 1/2 months have been rather hectic to say the least.

However big things still to come, apart from getting our wedding photos back from the lovely Lisa (Lisa Jane Photography) I have my first little solo show at the end of the month in my hometown of Bangor, North Wales. Trying to sort myself out for it, as we only arrived back in Bangor two days ago and our belongings are stored in three various locations!! oh dear! and brain has frazzled from remembering where everything got packed!

Also hoping on the next post to upload some of the sculpture I created in May for the MemoryBLANKS exhibition in Axis Art Centre Crewe but my old laptop is starting to play up. Something I really don't need right now with trying to apply for art jobs and opportunities. Ce la vie, life goes on and upwards and onwards. Here is the next chapter in my life, let's hope it's a good one.

Keep it real, keep it arty

becsx