Only a week left to vote folks!! Click HERE and vote for ‘Discover the Diff’ I’d be very grateful – help us WIN!

Here’s a piece I did incorporating all the Rugby World Cup 2015 qualifying teams:

The 8 Qualifying teams for RWC2015

The 8 Qualifying teams for RWC2015

And the ‘Discover the Diff’ promo video: http://www.madeincardiff.tv/player/…

 

 

believe plaqueAfter a whole HOUR stuck in traffic, we finally made it to the opening, just as all the pomp, ceremony, presentations and photo’s were over. Not to worry, we had the gallery to ourselves to see some fantastic work. Back in the hot days of June, I painted the ‘Believe Tree’ in a courtyard just off the gallery, and they even put a plaque up with my name on! – I’m truly humbled.

Click HERE to see a time lapse of the ‘Believe Tree’.

I look forward to visiting Llandough Hospital again when the new Mental Health Unit is up and running, with artwork throughout. It’s so refreshing to have art highly valued in a place which can be depressing, sad and stressful.

 

 

I was contacted by a lovely chap called Phil, from RSPB, who asked if I’d be interested in painting a mural based around nature on the Millenium Boardwalk. The Millenium Boardwalk! Well yes I said, and I did. I had lots of people stop and chat, and say how nice it is to see some positivity going onto our walls. A lovely lady sent a picture to the South Wales Echo (they published it), I met a friendly American on a tour of the UK who guarded my belongings while I ‘paid a visit’, a group of enthusiastic local children, some local graffers, and numerous smiles, nods and kind comments … Anyway, it’s all to generate interest in this project called ‘Discover The Diff’, which, if funding is secured, will mean that the boardwalk will be planted, painted and loved. I’d be mighty grateful if you can click this link and vote for the project as there are three, all out to public vote, and money only goes to the winner: http://votewales.growwilduk.com/#site/discoverthediff

Also, here’s a condensed version of a piece of writing I did with my husband Owen Thomas, about nature and art, also on the boardwalk:

nature

welsh dragon unity brave toaster unity namibiaAlthough I’m not a massive Rugby fan, I get it. The buzz, the excitement, the home team… Myself, Scot, Ripe, Amok, Karm, News, Hoxe, Amoe, Rens, Enta, Ryder, Smak, T-Rex, Bnie, Ref, Tao and SPK painted the Millenium Boardwalk behind the stadium, each writer taking the flag of one of the countries in the world cup. I did Namibia and Wales. The nature theme running through it all is the link back to the Kew Gardens bid for funding to transform the boardwalk into a space with wild flowers and artwork. We’ll be asking the public to vote for ‘Discover the Diff’ online from October 6th.

Wales Online liked it anyway… article here

Thank you to Haydn and Matt at Cardiff Council who stuck their necks out and believed in us ‘vandals’… And R.I.P to Brave Toaster, whose family and friends are burying him today.

 

nature-rspb1

What a lush day!!! Started out almost getting arrested, but really pleased with the beginnings of this piece for RSPB … hope it can stay up till next week so I can finish it off with some more flowers & butterflies ready to do a promo for ‘Discover The Diff’ nature project. Watch this space…

 

 

dragonfly 'fio' workshop

dragonfly ‘fio’ workshop

dragonfly 'fio'

dragonfly ‘fio’

Live participatory painting for the launch of the fabulous FIO. Beautiful weather, lovely people and an organisation with inclusivity and creativity at it’s core. What could be better?

Dragonflies are an animal symbolic of change, self-discovery and reaching your full potential. The Mayan Goddess of the moon (a symbol of our creative abilities as women) made her grandfather angry by marrying the sun… he killed her, and hundreds of dragonflies swarmed and sang to resurrect her. Fio has the ability to transform people’s lives through creativity, and I used the story as inspiration for this piece. Find out more about Fio here: Belong. Create. Grow. 

Started work on this bad boy today! fruit tuck

Painted in the Bearpit… Hope… Thanks to WOJCIECH LUBINSKI for the photograph – my camera sucks!

hope2

 

Based on a poem by Hilary Griffiths:

‘A copper beech tree
looked majestically on me
and my sorrow
and made me believe
in tomorrow.’

This piece is in the courtyard next to the new art gallery in Llandough Hospital (opening soon, watch this space…)believe tree

 

I loved painting at this fantastic house for boys with ASD in the Brecon Beacons. Wonderful staff and such a beautiful setting…ty-bronllys