This St. David’s Day, we revealed ten pieces of Cardiff-inspired art in a digital art exhibition across our social media channels.
10 young creatives were commissioned to tell a story of Cardiff through contemporary dance, song, illustration and more.
Each hour a creator’s artwork was revealed along with the Cardiff story behind their piece. Take a look at the incredible artworks by Cardiff’s young creative community….
Y Dydd Gŵyl Dewi hwn, gwnaethom ddatgelu deg darn o gelf a ysbrydolwyd gan Gaerdydd mewn arddangosfa celf ddigidol ar draws ein sianeli cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Comisiynwyd 10 o bobl greadigol ifanc i adrodd stori o Gaerdydd trwy ddawns gyfoes, cân, darlunio a mwy. Bob awr datgelwyd gwaith celf crëwr ynghyd â stori Caerdydd y tu ôl i’w darn. Cymerwch gip ar y gweithiau celf anhygoel gan gymuned greadigol ifanc Caerdydd ….
Amarie Jones
‘Mathew on St John Street’ & ‘The Pink Sign’
Amarie Jones is an inspiring young portrait artist from Cardiff. Her paintings, entitled ‘Mathew on St John Street’ and ‘The Pink Sign’, explore what it means to grow up as a young creative in the city. For Amarie, it is the people and the energies of Cardiff that inspire her creatively.
Amarie Jones yw’r artist ifanc o Gaerdydd sy’n creu portreadau ysbrydoledig. Mae’i darluniau, o’r enw ‘Mathew ar Stryd Sant Ioan’ a ‘Yr Arwydd Pinc’, yn ymdrin ag ystyr tyfu fel rhywun creadigol yn y ddinas. I Amarie, pobl ac egni Caerdydd sy’n ei hysbrydoli i greu.
Her first portrait ‘Mathew on St John Street’ is inspired by a photograph taken by Cardiff photographer AJ Perrin. Amarie created this piece as a tribute to Cardiff’s creative community and the people that inspire them.
Ysbrydolwyd ei phortread cyntaf ‘Mathew ar Stryd Sant Ioan’ gan ffotograff a dynnwyd gan A J Perrin o Gaerdydd. Creodd Amarie y darn hwn fel teyrnged i gymuned greadigol Caerdydd a’r bobl sy’n eu hysbrydoli.
‘The Pink Sign’ is inspired by Amarie’s personal experience at a Black Lives Matter protest in Cardiff last summer.
“I decided to paint this image because it was an important moment in my becoming … it was one of the first moments I felt supported by my community. Physically seeing individuals that have experienced racism and even just the people who wont stand for it was emotional.”
Ysbrydolwyd ‘Yr Arwydd Pinc’ gan brofiad personol Amarie mewn protest Mae Bywydau Du o Bwys yng Nghaerdydd haf diwethaf.
“Penderfynais beintio’r ddelwedd am ei bod yn ennyd bwysig yn fy nyfodiad… dyna un o’r eiliadau cyntaf y teimlais gefnogaeth fy nghymuned. Roedd gweld â’m llygaid fy hun unigolion oedd wedi profi hiliaeth, a hyd yn oed bobl nad ydyn nhw’n fodlon ei oddef, yn emosiynol.”
Before starting the portraits, Amarie interviewed AJ Perrin on his experience as a creative in Cardiff and the story behind his photograph. AJ Perrin then interviewed Amarie about her personal experience as an emerging artist in the Welsh capital. Click here to read the interview.
Cyn dechrau ar y portreadau, cafodd Amarie gyfweliad gydag AJ Perrin am ei brofiad fel rhywun creadigol yng Nghaerdydd, a stori’i ffotograff. Wedyn cyfwelodd AJ Perrin Amaire am ei phrofiad personol fel artist ar ei phrifiant yn y brifddinas. Cliciwch yma i ddarllen y cyfweliad.
Ophelia Dos Santos
Patchwork Embroidery of Cardiff City Centre
Next is Ophelia Dos Santos with a patchwork embroidery of Cardiff city centre using Welsh wool.
“My map embroidery shows some of Cardiff’s best-known landmarks which are an indispensable part of the city’s heritage.”
Nesaf dyma Ophelia Dos Santos gyda brodwaith clytiog o ganol dinas Caerdydd, a wnaed o wlân Cymru. “Mae fy map brodwaith yn dangos rhai o nodweddion amlycaf Caerdydd, sy’n rhan anhepgor o dreftadaeth y ddinas.”
Ophelia has a deep connection with Cardiff. Her father is a stone mason who worked on restoring the iconic anteater sculpture that stands guard on Cardiff Castle / Castell Caerdydd wall. Her grandfather was also a carpenter that restored artefacts at the National Museum Cardiff.
For Ophelia, this piece is her contribution to Cardiff’s culture. “My family have been integral in keeping Cardiff’s culture alive, so I feel like it’s my turn to contribute to Cardiff’s culture too.”
Mae gan Ophelia gyswllt dwfn â Chaerdydd. Saer maen yw ei thad a weithiodd ar adfer y cerflun eiconig o’r morgrugysor sy’n gwarchod Castell Caerdydd. Saer oedd ei thad-cu, a adnewyddodd eitemau yn yr Amgueddfa Genedlaethol.
I Ophelia, y darn hwn yw ei chyfraniad i ddiwylliant Caerdydd. “Mae fy nheulu wedi bod yn ganolog yn y gwaith o gadw diwylliant Caerdydd yn fyw, felly dyma fy nhro i i gyfrannu at ei diwylliant hefyd.”
Amber Howell
Womanby Street
Amber Howell’s piece is a tribute to Cardiff’s Womanby Street, a cultural hub in the heart of the city, home to popular music venues like Clwb Ifor Bach, The Moon, Bootlegger and Fuel. The curated film of contemporary dance and poetry celebrates Womanby Street as a place of creative and cultural expression.
Amber reminisces on nights spent at the street’s venues and looks hopefully to a reawakening of Cardiff’s vibrant night life.
Mae darn Amber Howells y deyrnged i Stryd Womanby, Caerdydd – canolbwynt diwylliannol yng nghalon y ddinas, cartref i leoliadau cerddoriaeth fyw poblogaidd fel Clwb Ifor Bach, The Moon, Bootlegger a Fuel. Mae’r ffilm a guradwyd o ddawns a barddoniaeth gyfoes yn dathlu Stryd Womanby fel lle ar gyfer mynegiant creadigol a diwylliannol. Mae Amber yn myfyrio’n ôl dros nosweithiau a dreuliodd yno, gan obeithio am ailddeffro bywyd hwyrol Caerdydd.
For Amber, Womanby Street is so vital to Cardiff’s culture:
“To me, Womanby Street is Cardiff’s cultural hub. The independent music venues have helped many kickstart their music careers and given young people the opportunity to experience live music in an inexpensive and accessible way.”
I Amber, mae Stryd Womanby mor hanfodol i ddiwylliant Caerdydd: “I mi, Stryd Womanby yw echel ddiwylliannol Caerdydd. Mae’r lleoliadau cerdd annibynnol wedi helpu sawl un i ddechrau gyrfa mewn cerdd a rhoi cyfle i bobl ifanc brofi cerddoriaeth fyw mewn ffordd rad a hygyrch.”
Amber has documented her creative process by filming snippets of movement explorations and practice recitals of the film’s voiceover so you can see how the finished piece was developed and constructed.
Mae Amber wedi dogfennu’i phroses greadigol drwy ffilmio tameidiau o ganfyddiadau symud a datganiadau ymarfer o droslais y ffilm er mwyn i chi weld sut gafodd y darn gorffenedig ei ddatblygu a’i adeiladu.
Robin Bonar-Law
Portraits of Cardiff Characters ‘Toy Mic Trev’ and ‘Ninjah.’
If you’re a Cardiff local you will recognise these familiar faces! Robin Bonar-Law has created twin portraits of much loved Cardiff characters ‘Ninjah’ and ‘Toy Mic Trev’ as a tribute to the people that make Cardiff a unique and vibrant city.
“There are a handful of things that make Cardiff so unique. One of those things is the people. Like most of Wales, Cardiff has been enriched through the characters that reside here.”
Os ydych chi’n hanu o Gaerdydd, byddwch chi’n nabod yr wynebau cyfarwydd hyn! Mae Robin Bonar-Law wedi creu efaill-bortreadau o ddau o gymeriadau mawr Caerdydd, Ninjah a Toy Mic Trev, yn deyrnged i’r bobl sy’n gwneud Caerdydd yn ddinas unigryw a nwyfus. “Mae llond llaw o bethau sy’n gwneud Caerdydd mor unigryw. Un ohonynt yw’r bobl. Fel y rhan fwyaf o Gymru, cafodd Caerdydd ei chyfoethogi gan y cymeriadau sy’n byw yma.”
Trevor Rees was a local busker who became known fondly as Toy Mic Trev because of the toy microphone he used while performing. A fixture of Cardiff’s Queen Street, Toy Mic Trev captured the hearts of many before he sadly passed away in 2018. Robin’s portrait commemorates this much loved character.
Speaking about the creative process, Robin explains that he approached the project instinctively – putting the paintbrush to canvas and experimenting. Using only images from social media as a reference, he has captured the essence of their characters. Watch Robin’s portrait of Toy Mic Trev come to life…
Bysgwr lleol oedd Trevor Rees a gafodd y llysenw annwyl Toy Mic Trev am ei fod yn defnyddio meic tegan wrth berfformio. Roedd Toy Mic Trev yn nodwedd ar Stryd y Frenhines yng Nghaerdydd, a chipiodd sawl calon cyn iddo farw yn 2018. Gan sôn am y broses greadigol, esbonia Robin ei fod wedi dod at y prosiect yn reddfol – rhoi’r brwsh paent ar y cynfas ac arbrofi.Gan gyfeirio’n unig at ddelweddau ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol, mae wedi dal hanfod eu cymeriad. Gwyliwch bortread Robin o Toy Mic Trev yn dod yn fyw…
Ninjah is a popular character of Cardiff city centre. Notorious for playing the bins on Cardiff’s Queen Street with drumsticks, Ninjah knows everyone and everyone knows him. For Robin, Ninjah is part of Cardiff and this portrait pays homage to that.
Cymeriad poblogaidd sy’n perthyn i ganol Caerdydd yw Ninjah. Mae e’n enwog am chwarae biniau Stryd y Frenhines gyda ffyn drymiau, ac mae pawb yn nabod Ninjah, ac yntau’n nabod pawb. I Robin mae Ninjah’n rhan o Gaerdydd, a dyna naws y portread.
Emma Atkins
Charcoal and White Pastel Drawing of Cardiff Castle
Our next piece is a textured charcoal and white pastel drawing of Cardiff Castle by landscape artist Emma Atkins. Emma uses the Castle’s Keep as a focal point to capture the castle’s power and rugged beauty.
For Emma, Cardiff Castle is an iconic part of the city: “For me, the castle is the heart of the city; everything it has now, started from the castle. It was the building blocks of Cardiff.”
Ein darn nesaf yw darlun siarcol ag ansawdd a phastel gwyn o Gastell Caerdydd gan yr artist tirluniau Emma Atkins. Mae Emma’n defnyddio tŵr y castell fel canolbwynt i fynegi grym a harddwch garw’r castell. I Emma, mae Castell Caerdydd yn rhan eiconig o’r ddinas: “I mi, y castell yw calon y ddinas; mae popeth sydd yma nawr wedi dechrau yn y castell. Dyna oedd conglfaen Caerdydd.”
Emma’s creative process involved visiting Cardiff Castle to study its finer details. Listen to Emma speak about how the colour, texture and detail of the Castle inspired the creation of her artwork…
(Emma’s visit was conducted in adherence with COVID-19 guidelines.)
Roedd proses greadigol Emma’n cynnwys ymweld â Chastell Caerdydd i astudio’r manylion llai. Gwrandewch ar Emma’n sôn am sut y cafodd ei hysbrydoli i greu’r gwaith celf gan liw, ansawdd a manylion y Castell… (Digwyddodd ymweliad Emma yn unol â chanllawiau COVID-19)
Andrea P. Renaud
‘Public Poetry / Barddoniaeth Gyhoeddus’ – Digital Publication
Andrea P. Renaud has created a digital publication that celebrates the beauty of everyday life in Cardiff through mixed media including illustration, creative writing and photography. Her ‘zine’ captures the thoughts and emotions she experiences while walking around Cardiff city centre.
For Andrea, walking has become a form of therapy during lockdown and a way to stay in touch with life outdoors. While walking, Andrea ponders on the little details of everyday life, describing them as ‘public poetry’, “a free work of art, waiting to be noticed.”
Mae Andrea P. Renaud wedi creu cyhoeddiad digidol sy’n dathlu. bywyd beunyddiol Caerdydd mewn cyfryngau cymysg gan gynnwys darluniau, ysgrifennu creadigol a ffotograffiaeth. Mae’i ‘zine’ yn dal ei meddyliau a theimladau wrth iddi gerdded o gwmpas canol y ddinas. I Andrea, daeth cerdded yn fath o therapi yn ystod y cyfnod clo, ac yn ffordd o gadw cyswllt â bywyd tu fas. Wrth gerdded, bydd Andrea’n myfyrio ar fanylion bach bywyd bob dydd, gan eu disgrifio fel ‘barddoniaeth gyhoeddus’, ‘gwaith celf rhad ac am ddim, yn aros i rywun sylwi.’
Andrea has documented her creative journey, exploring the images that inspired her and reflecting on the thoughts and feelings she experienced. Find out what inspired her to create this piece.
Mae Andrea wedi cofnodi’i thaith greadigol, gan archwilio’r delweddau a’i hysbrydolodd a myfyrio ar y teimladau a’r meddyliau gafodd hi. Dysgwch beth ysbrydolodd Andrea i greu’r darn.
Becky Johnson
A City in Transition
Becky Johnson’s concept is ‘A City in Transition’ – a multi-media performance that explores the role of the pedestrian in a city caught in a state of transition. Using High Street as a focal point, Becky portrays Cardiff’s shifting dynamic during a pandemic year.
Cysyniad Becky Johnson yw ‘Dinas Drawsnewidiol’ – perfformiad amlgyfryngol sy’n archwilio rôl y cerddwr mewn dinas sydd wrthi’n trawsnewid. Gan ddefnyddio’r Stryd Fawr fel canolbwynt, mae Becky’n portreadu egni symudol Caerdydd yn ystod blwyddyn bandemig.
For Becky, it is the relationship between a city and its people that interest her: “I want to expose High Street’s beauty at both it’s busiest and quietest and how the atmosphere of one of the city’s main street’s is so greatly affected by its people.”
I Becky, y berthynas rhwng dinas a’i phobl sy’n ei diddori: ‘Dwi eisiau datgelu harddwch y Stryd Fawr pan fydd hi ar ei phrysuraf a’i thawelaf, a sut mae naws un o brif strydoedd y ddinas yn cael ei effeithio gymaint gan ei phobl.”
Using poetry and blogs, Becky has documented her creative journey giving you an insight into the thought process behind her work. Click here to read her blog.
Gan ddefnyddio barddoniaeth a blogiau, mae Becky wedi dogfennu’i thaith greadigol gan roi cipolwg o’r gwaith meddwl sy’n sail i’w gwaith. Gellir gweld ei blogiadau yma.
Eleanor Sykes
Bute Park – A Place of Hope
Our next concept investigates how mother nature can bring us hope, particularly during this period of the pandemic. Cardiff based illustrator, Eleanor Sykes uses Cardiff’s Bute Park as a source of inspiration and a place of contemplation on the relationship between nature and wellbeing.
Mae ein cysyniad newydd yn archwilio sut y gall y fam ddaear roi gobaith i ni, yn enwedig mewn cyfnod o bandemig. Mae Eleanor Sykes yn defnyddio Parc Biwt Caerdydd fel ysbrydoliaeth a man i fyfyrio ar y berthynas rhwng natur a llesiant.
To Eleanor Bute Park is a place of hope: “Going for a walk through Bute Park is an hour a day where we can watch the flowers blossom, hear the leaves rustle and remind ourselves that the world is alive, and that we are too. Hope is a gift given to us from Bute Park”
I Eleanor, mae Parc Biwt yn lle gobeithiol: “Mae mynd am dro drwy Barc Biwt yn awr bob dydd ble gallwn wylio’r blodau’n blodeuo, clywed y dail yn sisial ac atgoffa ein hunain fod y byd yn fyw, a’n bod ni hefyd yn fyw. Gobaith yw’r rhodd a gawn gan Barc Biwt.”
Eleanor has captured her creative journey through illustration, painting and personal reflection. Click here to experience her creative journey.
Daliodd Eleanor ei thaith greadigol drwy gyfrwng darluniau, peintio a myfyrio personol. Dyma flas o’u phroses greadigol.
Olivia Williams
Cardiff Central Station – Mixed Media
Next up is Olivia Williams with a mixed media artwork of the iconic Cardiff Central Station. Olivia captures the station’s beautiful façade and uses meandering lines to portray what a train station provides – an opportunity for people to expand their horizons and explore new places.
Nesaf dyma Olivia Williams a’i gwaith celf cyfrwng cymysg o Orsaf eiconig Caerdydd Canolog. Mae Olivia’n cipio ffasâd hardd yr orsaf gan ddefnyddio llinellau crwydrol i bortreadu hanfod gorsaf drenau – cyfle i bobl ehangu’u gorwelion a darganfod mannau newydd.
Cardiff Central Station is important to so many people but to Olivia it has a deep personal connection:
“This over-a-century old station is how I got myself to college everyday, travelled for my modelling career and most significantly it’s where I met my first and only love. This gives Cardiff Central Station a special place in my heart”.
Mae Gorsaf Caerdydd Canolog yn bwysig i gymaint o bobl, ond mae gan Olivia gyswllt personol dwfn â’r lle: “Drwy’r orsaf hon, sydd dros ganrif oed, es i i’r coleg bob dydd, teithio ar gyfer gyrfa fel model ac yn fwyaf pwysig, dyma ble cwrddais â’m cariad cyntaf, fy unig gariad. Mae hyn yn rhoi lle arbennig i Orsaf Caerdydd Canolog yn fy nghalon.”
To create this piece, Olivia designed a digital graphic of Cardiff Central Station before printing the design on canvas and adding painted lines. Olivia has captured the process in this incredible time-lapse footage…
I greu’r darn, dyluniodd Olivia graffig digidol o Orsaf Caerdydd Canolog cyn argraffu’r cynllun ar gynfas ac ychwanegu llinellau â phaent.
Mae Olivia wedi dal y broses mewn ffilm dros amser anhygoel…
Rob Nichols (Junior Bill)
People in Town – A Trio of Songs
Our final piece is a trio of songs entitled ‘People in Town’ by Rob Nichols, songwriter and frontman of local band Junior Bill. The songs are joined together in one movement by field recordings from Cardiff city centre. Click here to listen.
Rob explains the meaning behind ‘People in Town’. “My song explores the roles different people play in the formation of the city centre’s culture, including the role of ‘outsiders’ in the city. I also look into what’s in store for Cardiff’s culture scene in a post-pandemic world.”
Ein darn olaf yw triawd o ganeuon o’r enw ‘Pobl yn Dre’ gan Rob Nichols, cyfansoddwr a chanwr blaen y band lleol Junior Bill. Cysylltir y caneuon mewn un symudiad gan recordiadau maes o ganol dinas Caerdydd. Cliciwch yma i wrando. Dyma Rob i esbonio ystyr ‘Pobl yn Dre’.“Mae fy nghân yn archwilio rôl pobl wahanol wrth greu diwylliant canol y ddinas, gan gynnwys rôl pobl ‘o’r tu fas’ yn y ddinas. Dwi hefyd yn edrych ar ddyfodol sîn ddiwylliant Caerdydd mewn byd ar ôl pandemig.”
‘People in Town’ consists of three songs Man From Oman, Ninjah Street Treadmill and When We Leave. The music intends to take the listener on a journey through Cardiff and through time. Experience Rob’s creative journey…
Mae ‘Pobl yn Dre’ yn dair can a roddwyd at ei gilydd: Man From Oman, Ninjah Street Treadmill a When We Leave. Bwriad y gerddoriaeth yw mynd â’r gwrandäwr ar daith drwy Gaerdydd a thrwy amser. Dyma flas ar daith greadigol Rob…
The campaign follows on from the successful ‘Our creative Cardiff storywall’ project run by Creative Cardiff last year which saw 14 artists commissioned to tell their story of Cardiff. One of the chosen artists, Keith Murrell, sat on the panel of judges to choose the young creatives to commission for the St David’s Day exhibition.
FOR Cardiff is committed to protecting and strengthening culture in Cardiff’s city centre, making Cardiff more vibrant, welcoming and influential. Find out more about who we are and what we do.
Mae’r ymgyrch yn dilyn ymlaen o’r prosiect llwyddiannus ‘Wal stori ein Caerdydd Creadigol’ a gynhaliwyd gan Ein Caerdydd Creadigol y llynedd a gomisiynodd 14 o artistiaid i adrodd eu stori am Gaerdydd. Eisteddodd un o’r artistiaid a ddewiswyd, Keith Murrell, ar y panel o feirniaid i ddewis y bobl greadigol ifanc i’w comisiynu ar gyfer arddangosfa Dydd Gŵyl Dewi. Mae FOR Caerdydd wedi ymrwymo i amddiffyn a chryfhau diwylliant yng nghanol dinas Caerdydd, gan wneud Caerdydd yn fwy bywiog, croesawgar a dylanwadol. Darganfyddwch fwy am bwy ydyn ni a beth rydyn ni’n ei wneud.