Rhiannon was raised in Sling near Bethesda - a slate quarrying village in North Wales, a place that has, and continues to strongly influence her creative practice. Since graduating in 2019 from the BA Artist Designer: Maker course at Cardiff Metropolitan University, the crafting of her materials has been recognized by the National Museum of Wales when they acquired her work ‘Y Nefoedd yn Toddi i’r Tir’ (The Heavens Melt Into The Land) after it was exhibited last year in their 'Rules of Art' exhibition and at the National Eisteddfod of Wales ‘Y Lle Celf’ (2024) exhibition. Other achievements include winning the Emerging Maker award at the International Ceramics Festival in Aberystwyth (2023), being selected for the British Ceramics Biennial 'Talent Development Programme' (2022) and awarded funding by 'Wales Arts International' (2023) to go on a research trip to the U.S. Her first solo show exhibited at the National Slate Museum showcased the work produced as part of her research and development project funded by the Arts Council of Wales ‘Create’ fund (2024).
Magwyd Rhiannon yn Sling ger Bethesda – pentref chwarelyddol yng Ngogledd Cymru, lle sydd wedi, ac sy’n parhau i ddylanwadu’n gryf ar ei hymarfer creadigol. Ers graddio yn 2019 o’r cwrs BA Artist Dylunydd: Gwneuthurwr ym Mhrifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd, mae ei gwaith grefft wedi’i gydnabod gan Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Cymru wrth iddynt gaffael ei gwaith ‘Y Nefoedd yn Toddi i’r Tir’ ar ôl iddo gael ei arddangos. llynedd yn eu harddangosfa 'Rheolau Celf' ac yn arddangosfa 'Y Lle Celf' (2024) Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru. Mae llwyddiannau eraill yn cynnwys ennill gwobr Gwneuthurwr Newydd yn yr Ŵyl Cerameg Ryngwladol yn Aberystwyth (2023), cael eich dewis ar gyfer ‘Rhaglen Datblygu Talent’ British Ceramics Biennial (2022) a derbyn cyllid gan ‘Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol Cymru’ (2023) i fynd ymlaen a thaith ymchwil i’r Unol Daleithiau. Roedd ei sioe unigol gyntaf a arddangoswyd yn Amgueddfa Lechi Cymru yn arddangos y gwaith a gynhyrchwyd fel rhan o’i phrosiect ymchwil a datblygu a ariannwyd gan gronfa ‘Creu’ Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru (2024).
Artist Statement
I’m inspired by the visible layers of various colours, textures and materials in my home landscape of Eryri in addition to the non-visible, subconscious layers of history, cultural heritage, memories and language.
By working with local materials, most of which are a by-product of processes used by local industries and organizations, such as, Welsh slate discarded by the local quarry, gorse ash from Eryri National Park’s gorse clearance on the Carneddau mountains and clay found in nearby riverbanks, I have been exploring how materials can act as identity markers; influencing how we view ourselves and the world around us, through the imprinting of emotion onto our surroundings. To capture these layers I explored the full potential of the earth’s raw pigments by making natural paints and glazes which I use in my work and also by subjecting the slate to metamorphosim.
Datganiad yr Artist
Rwy’n cael fy ysbrydoli gan yr haenau gweladwy o liwiau, gweadau a deunyddiau amrywiol yn nhirwedd fy nghartref yn Eryri yn ogystal â’r haenau anweladwy, isymwybodol o hanes, treftadaeth ddiwylliannol, atgofion ac iaith.
Trwy weithio gyda deunyddiau lleol, gyda’r rhan fwyaf ohonynt yn wastraff o brosesau a ddefnyddir gan ddiwydiannau a sefydliadau lleol, megis, llechi gan y chwarel leol, llwch eithin o brosiect clirio eithin Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri ar y Carneddau a chlai a ddarganfuwyd ar lannau afonydd, rwyf wedi bod yn archwilio sut y gall deunyddiau weithredu fel marcwyr hunaniaeth gan ddylanwadu ar y ffordd yr ydym yn gweld ein hunain a'r byd o'n cwmpas, trwy argraffu emosiwn ar ein hamgylchfyd. Er mwyn dal yr haenau hyn rwy’n archwilio potensial llawn pigmentau amrwd y ddaear trwy wneud paent a gwydredd naturiol a'u defnyddio yn fy ngwaith a hefyd trwy roi’r llechen drwy’r broses o fetamorffosis.
Artist C.V.
Education
2016 - 2019 BA (Hons) Artist Designer: Maker, Cardiff Metropolitan University - First Class
2015 - 2016 Level 3 Diploma in Art and Design - Foundation Studies, Coleg Menai Bangor - Distinction
Solo Shows
2024 National Slate Museum, Wales
Selected Exhibitions & Shows
2023 Y Lle Celf, National Eisteddfod of Wales
2023 ‘Agora’ Tactile BOSCH X Cadw, Turner house
2023 ‘Emerging Makers’ International Ceramics Festival, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
2023 Rules of Art, National Museum of Wales
2022 Maker in Focus, Mission Gallery, Swansea
2022 40 (+1) of Art Foundation, Storiel, Bangor
2022 The Wild Collective, Omved Gardens, London
2022 Open Exhibition, Royal Cambrian Academy, Conwy
2021 Agored, Galeri Caernarfon, Wales
2021 Winter Exhibition, Thrown Gallery, London
2021 ‘Curated by Dan Goode’ in Handmade Chelsea, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London
2021 Commissioned work for ‘Y Festri’ & Llechi Cymru/Welsh Slate , Llanberis
2021 ‘At the Slate’s Edge / Ymylon y Llechen’ , Oriel Môn
2021 Let the darkness in, Studio Cennen, Ffairfach
2020 Wales Contemporary, Waterfront Gallery, Pembokshire / OXO Gallery, London
2020 Gatherers , Thrown Contemporary Art Gallery, London - exhibited in OmVed Gardens
2020 Rising Stars, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
2019 Winter Garden, Mission Gallery, Swansea
2019 Tir / Land, Cywrain, Galeri, Caernarfon
2019 Jane Phillips Award Graduate Showcase, Mission Gallery, Swansea
2019 New Designers, Business Design Centre, London UK
2019 Pick of the Degrees Exhibition, M.A.D.E Cardiff
2019 Degree Show, Cardiff School of Art and Design, Cardiff
2019 Maker, Oriel 2, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff
2019 Gwyl y Ferch, Balaclafa Carn, Caernarfon
Awards
2024 Arts Council of Wales ‘Create’ Fund Award
2023 Emerging Maker Award, International Ceramics Festival, Aberystwyth
2023 Funding from Wales Arts International
2021 Time Space Money Bursary, A-N (Artist Network)
2021 Selected for Crafts Council & Crafting Europe 'Crafting Business' (previously known as HotHouse)
2021 Joseph Herman Award ‘The People’s Choice’, Y Lle Celf, National Eisteddfod of Wales
2021 - Prif Artist Eisteddfod T / Winner of the Art and Design Prize at Eisteddfod T
2021 Start Fund (C.EO Bursary) - Centre for Enrepreneurship, Cardiff Metropolitan University
2021 Seed Fund - Centre for Enrepreneurship, Cardiff Metropolitan University
2020 Flash Fund - Centre for Entrepreneurship, Cardiff Metropolitan University
2019 'One to Watch' National Trust at New Designers, London
2019 The Austin Smith : Lord Prize, Award for Design Excellence, Cardiff Metropolitan University
2016 Peter Pendergast Drawing Prize, Coleg Menai
Experience
2022 ‘Talent Development Programme’ British Ceramics Biennial
2021 ‘Crafting Business’ (previously known as ‘HotHouse’ ) Crafts Council & Crafting Europe
2019 - 2020 Graduate Incubation Unit, Cardiff School of Art and Design
2018 Study trip to Rajasthan, India - Research into indigenous craft skills
Featured in
2021 Ogwen 360 - ‘Gwobr y bobl Y Lle Celf i Rhiannon Gwyn
2021 Nation.Cymru Online Article - ‘Eisteddfod T Art and Design Prize winner reveals how Welsh slate inspires her work’
2021 Golwg 360 (Online Article)
2021 Featured as ‘New Talent’ in Crafts Magazine, Issue 287, page 30
2020 Cylchgrawn ‘Golwg’ Magazine
2020 2020 Rising Stars Catalogue, p16, organised by New Ashgate Gallery