“Hawdd cynnau tân ar hen aelwyd”
“It’s easy to kindle a fire on an old hearth”
I love the word ‘etifeddiaeth’. It means ‘inheritance’ or ‘legacy’ and is the title I chose for a series of Textile Art works inspired by the tales of Cynddylan and Heledd. I’ve written about them in previous blogs and you can read more here.
This year the National Eisteddfod of Wales is being held in Meifod, the homeland of Cynddylan and Heledd . I was disappointed ‘Etifeddiaeth’ wasn’t selected to be part of the occasion but, it turns out, something just as exciting came along and the work is now being exhibited in a completely different context.
Dydd Llun diwethaf, ces i neges oddi wrth Rachelle Barlow yn gofyn am fenthyg o ‘Etifeddiaeth’ ar gyfer arddangosfa am yr Eisteddfod.
I once had music lessons. After two years my piano teacher called a halt and said she couldn’t keep taking my money because nothing she did would work – I didn’t have a musical bone in my body. So you’d have to wonder how I’d know such a talented, knowledgeable and respected ethnomusicologist as Rachelle Barlow . I shall leave that for a future blog or possibly Rachelle’s autobiography. Suffice to say that we spent Monday evening with me issuing forth my opinions on what makes art, art and Rachelle eating her way through a plate of Jammy Dodger biscuits.
Rachelle had done her homework and came armed with copies of R S Thomas poems – I am particularly fond of the imagery in The Journey and Resevoirs – and a manuscript of ancient Welsh songs which had part of Cân Heledd set to music. It was really interesting to see the way in which two completely different creative practices could come together and find a common ground. In this case, it started out as introducing the ethos of the Eisteddfod to the students, staff and visitors who use the Library at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama but by the end of the plate of Jammy Dodgers, Rachelle and I realised that there was a much wider appeal on the shelves of the Library itself.
So much art – of what ever genre – is interpreting another art form or reality. I look at the poems of R S Thomas and say they inspire me but actually what I am doing is interpreting his words in a technique which I can use. R S Thomas in turn, had used words to interpret his reality – though in some of his poems, he was clearly inspired by works of figurative art. ‘Etifeddiaeth’ is my interpretation of Heledd’s Lament and The Death Song of Cynddylan but both of those were written by someone who was interpreting a reality. When you understand that art can be interpretative as well as imaginative, the possibilities become endless and endlessly exciting.
Diolch i fisgedi Jammy Dodgers, penderfynodd Rachelle lydanu pwnc yr arddangosfa i gynnwys diwylliant a llenyddiaeth yn ogystal â’r Eisteddfod.
Much of the artwork has been left out on shelves so that it can be handled by the students and visitors to the Library. I think that this is an important part of Textile Art. One of the things that I gain from being at events like the National Eisteddfod and having a ‘pop up’ exhibition is encouraging people to touch and handle the embroidery. I hope that the actors, musicians and designers from the College will take the opportunity to experience my work and use it to inform their own. As I said to Rachelle, in my opinion, there are three things which make art, art: first, it evokes an emotional response; secondly, it provokes thought; last, it demonstrates skill or good technique.
If you create something – craft, art, music, literature, dance, dramatic performance – and you can apply those three criteria, then you will be satisfied but probably not for long. Creativity likes to leave updated legacies because you keep coming up against new realities or genres to interpret. I love R S Thomas and Cynddylan and Heledd but I have just discovered the existence of Celtic Coin Art. Oh my word! I can see a whole new world opening up!
If you have some spare time between now and the beginning of September, why not visit the Library at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Not only can you see ‘Etifeddiaeth’ but the chances are you will come into contact with a huge range of creative people and practices, cultural resources and works of music and literature, any or all of which could start you off on a new creative journey. Happy kindling!