Cardiff & Vale Health Charity Arts Team were delighted to commission artist Haf Weighton to work with pupils at local Ysgol Bro Morgannwg. The art project explored the rich history of Barry Town and partners for the project included the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Menter Bro Morgannwg an organisation engaged in developing welsh language opportunities in the Vale, and the Royston Smith Herbarium through National Museum Wales.
Sessions with GCSE pupils in the school began in February, pre-lockdown and consisted of a number of interlocking themes focussing on Barry’s rich history and as a centre of wellbeing. For example, pupils designed postcards related to Barry’s Seaside as a popular holiday destination, it’s old buildings within the town centre, and to Barry Docks. Pupils created concertina sketchbooks, and original artworks related to the Royston Smith herbarium; a fascinating resident of Barry, Royston Smith discovered unusual flora in Barry Docks, which had been transported to Wales via shipping lanes from far-flung places, and collected, researched and documented the flora’s medicinal properties.
We are delighted to be able to display some of the beautiful work created by pupils in collaboration with Haf Weighton.
Haf Weighton:
‘Working as lead artist on the project as part of the 25th anniversary of Barry Hospital celebrations give me the opportunity to research and discover. I’ve learnt about the history of the town of Barry, discovered the Royston Smith herbarium which is being digitally documented by National Museum of Wales, and passed my knowledge on to students at Ysgol Bro Morgannwg through workshops supported by Cardiff & Vale Health Charity.
Topics for the arts sessions included discussion around the history of Barry as a shopping destination, home to Wales’s first department store, Dan Evans, which was open on Holton Road for over 100 years, the oldest Welsh language chapel in Barry which recently closed its doors for the last time, and the many significant historical figures with links to Barry.
Year 10 students at Ysgol Bro Morgannwg reflected on Barry’s history as a place of wellbeing, right back to its era as a place of religious pilgrimage during the time of Saint Baruc and Saint Currig , to the annual visits from people working in the coal mining communities along the coal train lines to enjoy the beach and the fairground of Barry once a year. Students looked at the wonderful designs of these old postcards and recreated their own versions using print on fabric.
We also discussed ways in which people can improve their wellbeing, and I also reflected on my own experience of being ill with pneumonia and how I used art and visits to the seaside to help in recovery.’
Artwork by pupils of Ysgol Bro Morgannwg
Gwaith celf gan ddisgyblion Ysgol Bro Morgannwg
Arddangosfa Project Celfyddydau Tref y Barri – Ysgol Bro Morgannwg a Haf Weighton
Roedd Tîm Celfyddydau Elusen Iechyd Caerdydd a’r Fro yn falch o gomisiynu’r arlunydd Haf Weighton i weithio gyda disgyblion yn Ysgol Bro Morgannwg. Ystyriodd y project celf hanes cyfoethog Tref y Barri a phartneriaid y project oedd Cyngor Bro Morgannwg, Menter Bro Morgannwg, sefydliad sy’n ymwneud â datblygu cyfleoedd iaith Gymraeg yn y Fro, a Llysieufa Royston Smith trwy Amgueddfa Cymru.
Dechreuodd sesiynau gyda disgyblion TGAU ym mis Chwefror, cyn y cyfnod cloi ac ynddynt trafodwyd nifer o themau sy’n cydblethu a chanolbwyntio ar hanes cyfoethog y Barri ac ar y Barri fel canolfan lesiant. Er enghraifft, dyluniodd y disgyblion gardiau post yn ymwneud â Glan Môr y Barri fel lle gwyliau poblogaidd, ei hen adeiladau yng nghanol tref y Barri ac â Dociau’r Barri. Creodd y disgyblion lyfrau braslunio sy’n plygu fel consertina, a chelfwaith gwreiddiol yn ymwneud â llysieufa Royston Smith; yn un o drigolion diddorol y Barri, darganfu Royston Smith fflora anghyffredin yn Nociau’r Barri, a oedd wedi’u cludo i Gymru ar hyd llwybrau’r llongau ar y môr o leoedd anghysbell, a chasglodd, ymchwiliodd a chofnododd nodweddion meddyginiaethol y fflora.
Rydym yn falch o allu arddangos y gwaith hardd a grewyd gan y disgyblion ar y cyd â Haf Weighton.
Haf Weighton:
‘Rhoddodd gweithio fel arlunydd arweiniol y project yn rhan o ddathliadau pen-blwydd 25 oed Ysbyty’r Barri y cyfle i mi ymchwilio a darganfod.
Rwyf wedi dysgu am hanes tref y Barri, wedi dysgu am lysieufa Royston Smith sy’n cael ei gofnodi’n ddigidol gan Amgueddfa Cymru,a throsglwyddais fy ngwybodaeth i fyfyrwyr yn Ysgol Bro Morgannwg trwy weithdai gyda chymorth Elusen Iechyd Caerdydd a’r Fro.
Roedd y pynciau ar gyfer y sesiynau celf yn cynnwys trafodaeth am hanes y Barri fel cyrchfan siopa, yn gartref i siop adrannol gyntaf Cymru, Dan Evans, a fu ar agor ar Heol Holltwn am dros 100 mlynedd, y capel Cymraeg hynaf yn y Barri a gaeodd ei ddrysau yn ddiweddar am y tro olaf, a’r ffigurau hanesyddol arwyddocaol niferus sydd â chysylltiadau â’r Barri.
Bu myfyrwyr Blwyddyn 10 yn Ysgol Bro Morgannwg yn myfyrio ar hanes y Barri fel ardal o lesiant, yr holl ffordd yn ôl i’r cyfnod pan oedd yn lle ar gyfer pererindod grefyddol yn nyddiau Baruc Sant a Churrig Sant, ac ymlaen at ymweliadau blynyddol y bobl a oedd yn gweithio yn y cymunedau glofaol, a fyddai’n dod i draeth a ffair y Barri gan deithio ar hyd y cledrau glo. Edrychodd y myfyrwyr ar ddyluniadau gwych yr hen gardiau post hyn ac ail-greu eu fersiynau eu hunain gan ddefnyddio print ar ffabrig.
Trafodon ni hefyd ffyrdd y gall pobl wella eu llesiant, ac fe wnes i fyfyrio hefyd ar fy mhrofiad fy hun o fod yn sâl gyda niwmonia a sut y defnyddiais gelf ac ymweliadau â glan y môr i’m helpu i wella.’
