Artists Christmas Tree 2011

Steffan Jones-Hughes & Jeanette Orrell

Every Christmas, Oriel Myrddin Gallery invite an artist to make, design or decorate a Christmas tree for the gallery. This year North Wales artists, Steffan Jones-Hughes and Jeanette Orrell were chosen. Steffan and Jeanette are partners in their home life, but this is the first time they have worked together on a artistic project.

The commission is made from their last years tree which they saved back and then painstakingly covered with pages from old paperback books, the branches have then been decorated with little bottles that have been given new hand drawn labels. The bottles were inspired by a hoard of Victorian bottles that were dug up in the artists' garden, but these particular ones have been collected from antiques shops flea markets especially for the project. The bottles make reference to the idea of glass baubles and the little characters on the labels suggest stories and narratives which are echoed in the book pages covering the branches.

Steffan and Jeanette came to talk to us about making the tree and their life deep in the countryside of Denbighshire. They mused that they would have liked to have a little light in each bottle; as a child Steffan remembers seeing a tree that was lit up by fireflies and their Christmas tree also reflects this enchanting memory.

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru 2009

David Nash Cracked Box

I went to the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Bala, Gwynedd in north Wales yesterday. The sun was shining, which was a bit of a novelty this summer. I went with Meg and Mary from the gallery to see Y Lle Celf (Arts Pavilion) selected this year by Iwan Bala (Artist and Curator), Jane Gerrard (Ruthin Craft Centre), Adrian Plant (Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery).

This year there was a conspicuous lack of craft; it was disappointing - I felt the show's vitality suffered in its absence.

The David Nash sculptures in the first section were lovely, especially Cracking Box. The film of his wooden boulder project was delightful too. I remembered seeing his work at the fated Centre for Visual Art in Cardiff in 2000 which was a beautiful show.


Jools Johnson God is in the Detail

I came away impressed by three very modest works by Jools Johnson called God Lives in the Detail; tiny constructions that suggest architecture or city spaces. The works are made of recycled computer parts. I liked the scale of the work, the understatement, the memory it provoked of childhood ingenuity. I loved the slightly 'Star-Wars' feel of it. It was also a little bit sinister.


I enjoyed the a chrefft stand too in the main exhibition hall - Particularly Steffan Jones-Hughes' little mussel shells with tiny prints inside.



Steffan Jones-Hughes seen here

When I looked on Steffan's website I also found this image which I really like.

Steffan Jones-Hughes seen here