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As part of the Gwanwyn festival this year, The Hearth Gallery is delighted to announce our new exhibition, Connections: an exploration of Creativity, Nature and Identity, which is a showcase of artwork and creativity produced within a recent collaborative art project between University students and patients at hospital.
Between January and March this year, second year students on BA (Hons) Creative and Therapeutic Arts at the University of South Wales, and patients and staff on Ward East 18, An Adult Mental Health Ward at University Hospital Llandough, have collaborated together by virtually sending ‘digital artwork postcards’ back and forth. The students began by creating their first ‘postcard’ based on themes and ideas the patients had talked about in a live virtual greeting session at the start of the project in January.
With the first collection of ‘digital artwork postcards’ received from the students, the staff on Ward E18 provided creative art sessions with the patients to respond to the students by making their own artwork using a variety of creative materials and ideas. Photographs of the creative work were then sent back to the students and the process was repeated. Each corresponding artwork was created based on the theme or style of the one received.
This project was a chance to creatively connect with a group of people who, like so many during Covid-19 restrictions, felt isolated from family and friends. The staff on Ward E18 were incredibly interested in having the students at University of South Wales collaborate with the patients, to provide a welcome distraction and entertainment to their day to day routine.
Below is a visual process of the project.
The creative work made as part of the Correspondence:
Exhibition artwork and creative worksheets for Ward E18
After the creative correspondence between the patients and students came to an end, the students responded to the project by creating a final piece of artwork to be presented within the exhibition at the Hearth Gallery. Having been inspired by what art materials, ideas and topics the patients liked and enjoyed using, the students have created a variety of artwork in response to their collaboration with the patients. Some of these artworks, after the exhibition, will be donated to the ward to brighten, inspire and uplift the ward environment and continue to encourage creativity and ideas throughout more future creative sessions using the materials provided.
As part of the project, one aim was to provide an ongoing contribution for the ward so the students have also individually created and gifted an Art Activity Worksheet each based on their ‘end of project’ artwork. Between them, the students have provided a wide range of art activities for a variety of abilities, enabling the staff and patients to continue to be inspired to make art in future sessions.
We would like to say a very big thank you to all who have helped in the successful process of this project and exhibition, in particular the dedicated staff on Ward E18, providing the help and support to the patients and also the students for making every effort to make the project as interactive and positive for our patients in hospital.
The collaborative creative project and the exhibition at the Hearth Gallery have been supported and funded by Cardiff & Vale Health Charity and Age Cymru’s Gwanwyn festival, Wales’ national festival celebrating creativity in older age.
The exhibition will be available online from the 28th April – 6th June 2021.
Due to current restrictions, The Hearth Gallery at University Hospital Llandough is accessible for current patients, staff and restricted visitors on site only.
What is the Gwanwyn Festival?
The Gwanwyn Festival is a month-long national festival held across Wales in May of each year celebrating creativity in older age. The festival began in 2006 and is supported by Arts Council of Wales and Welsh Government.
Gwanwyn, which means spring in Welsh, celebrates older age as a time of opportunity for renewal, growth and creativity. The aim of the Gwanwyn Festival is to offer opportunities for greater participation by older people in the arts, whether visual arts, drama, storytelling, music, literature, photography, dance or film.
During May, groups and individuals join together in a wide range of venues and locations across Wales in an explosion of creativity. It is a time for performance, exhibition, workshops, discussion, networking and most importantly fun!
Gwanwyn includes commissions and collaborative events as well as events organised by a wide range of cultural and community organisations. Gwanwyn provides an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the very best of creativity as we age!
To find out more and see the programme of events visit www.gwanwyn.org.uk
Yn rhan o ŵyl Gwanwyn eleni, mae’n bleser gan Oriel yr Aelwyd gyhoeddi ein harddangosfa newydd, Cysylltiadau: archwiliad o Greadigrwydd, Natur a Hunaniaeth, a fydd yn arddangos gwaith celf a chreadigrwydd a gynhyrchwyd gan brosiect celf diweddar ar y cyd rhwng myfyrwyr Prifysgol a chleifion yn yr ysbyty.
Rhwng mis Ionawr a mis Mawrth eleni, mae myfyrwyr BA (Anrh) Celfyddydau Creadigol a Therapiwtig ym Mhrifysgol De Cymru a chleifion a staff ar Ward Dwyrain 18, Ward Iechyd Meddwl i Oedolion yn Ysbyty Athrofaol Llandochau, wedi cydweithio trwy anfon ‘cardiau post o waith celf digidol’ rhithwir at ei gilydd. Dechreuodd y myfyrwyr trwy greu eu ‘cerdyn post’ cyntaf yn seiliedig ar themâu a syniadau y bu’r cleifion yn siarad amdanynt mewn sesiwn gyfarch rhithwir byw ar ddechrau’r prosiect ym mis Ionawr.
Gyda’r casgliad cyntaf o ‘gardiau post o waith celf digidol’ wedi’u derbyn gan y myfyrwyr, bu’r staff ar Ward E18 yn darparu sesiynau celf creadigol gyda’r cleifion er mwyn ymateb i’r myfyrwyr gyda’u gwaith celf eu hunain gan ddefnyddio amrywiaeth o syniadau a deunyddiau creadigol. Yna anfonwyd ffotograffau o’r gwaith creadigol nôl at y myfyrwyr ac ailadroddwyd y broses. Cafodd pob un o’r darnau o waith celf cyfatebol eu creu yn seiliedig ar thema neu arddull yr un a dderbyniwyd.
Roedd y prosiect hwn yn gyfle i gysylltu’n greadigol â grŵp o bobl a oedd, fel cynifer yn ystod cyfyngiadau COVID-19, yn teimlo wedi’u hynysu oddi wrth deulu a ffrindiau. Roedd gan y staff ar Ward E18 ddiddordeb mawr mewn gweld y myfyrwyr o Brifysgol De Cymru yn cydweithio â’r cleifion, i gynnig ffordd dda o dynnu eu sylw ac adloniant yn ystod eu bywydau bob dydd.
Gwaith celf yr arddangosfa a thaflenni gwaith creadigol ar gyfer Ward E18
Ar ôl i’r ohebiaeth greadigol rhwng y cleifion a’r myfyrwyr ddod i ben, gwnaeth y myfyrwyr ymateb i’r prosiect trwy greu darn terfynol o waith celf i’w gyflwyno o fewn yr arddangosfa yn Oriel yr Aelwyd. Mae’r myfyrwyr, ar ôl cael eu hysbrydoli gan ba ddeunyddiau celf, syniadau a phynciau oedd o ddiddordeb i’r cleifion, wedi creu amrywiaeth o waith celf mewn ymateb i’w gwaith ar y cyd â’r cleifion. Caiff rhai o’r darnau celf hyn, ar ôl yr arddangosfa, eu rhoi fel rhodd i’r ward i lonni, ysbrydoli a chodi ysbryd a pharau i annog creadigrwydd a syniadau yn ystod mwy o sesiynau creadigol yn y dyfodol gan ddefnyddio’r deunyddiau a ddarparwyd.
Yn rhan o’r prosiect, un nod oedd cynnig cyfraniad parhaus i’r ward ac felly mae’r myfyrwyr hefyd wedi creu a rhoi Taflen o Weithgareddau Celf unigol i bob un yn seiliedig ar eu gwaith celf ‘diwedd y prosiect’. Rhyngddynt, mae’r myfyrwyr wedi darparu ystod eang o weithgareddau celf ar gyfer amrywiaeth o alluoedd, gan alluogi staff a chleifion i barhau i gael eu hysbrydoli i wneud gwaith celf yn ystod sesiynau’r dyfodol.
Hoffem ddiolch o galon i bawb sydd wedi helpu gyda’r prosiect a’r arddangosfa, a fu’n broses llwyddiannus iawn, ac yn enwedig i’r staff ymroddedig ar Ward E18 am ddarparu cymorth a chefnogaeth i’r cleifion, ac i’r myfyrwyr am wneud pob ymdrech i sicrhau bod y prosiect mor rhyngweithiol a chadarnhaol â phosibl ar gyfer ein cleifion yn yr ysbyty.
Mae’r prosiect creadigol cydweithredol a’r arddangosfa yn Oriel yr Aelwyd wedi’u cefnogi a’u hariannu gan Elusen Iechyd Caerdydd a’r Fro a Gŵyl Gwanwyn Age Cymru, gŵyl genedlaethol yng Nghymru i ddathlu creadigrwydd wrth fynd yn hŷn.
Bydd yr arddangosfa ar gael ar-lein rhwng 28 Ebrill – 6 Mehefin 2021.
O ganlyniad i’r cyfyngiadau presennol, mae Oriel yr Aelwyd yn Ysbyty Athrofaol Llandochau ar agor ar gyfer cleifion presennol, staff a nifer cyfyngedig o ymwelwyr ar y safle yn unig.
Beth yw Gŵyl Gwanwyn?
Mae Gwanwyn yn ŵyl genedlaethol mis o hyd a gynhelir ledled Cymru ym mis Mai bob blwyddyn i ddathlu creadigrwydd ymysg pobl hŷn. Dechreuodd yr ŵyl yn 2006 a chaiff ei chefnogi gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru.
Mae Gwanwyn yn dathlu henaint fel cyfle i adnewyddu, tyfu a bod yn greadigol. Nod Gŵyl Gwanwyn yw cynnig cyfleoedd i bobl hŷn gymryd mwy o ran yn y celfyddydau, p’un a ym maes y celfyddydau, drama, adrodd straeon, cerddoriaeth, llenyddiaeth, ffotograffiaeth, dawns neu ffilm.
Yn ystod mis Mai, bydd grwpiau ac unigolion yn dod at ei gilydd mewn ystod eang o leoliadau ledled Cymru mewn ffrwydrad o greadigrwydd. Bydd yn cynnwys perfformiadau, arddangosiadau, gweithdai, trafodaethau, rhwydweithio ac yn bwysicaf oll, hwyl!
Mae Gwanwyn yn cynnwys comisiynau a digwyddiadau cydweithredol, yn ogystal â digwyddiadau wedi’u trefnu gan ystod eang o sefydliadau diwylliannol a chymunedol. Mae Gwanwyn yn rhoi cyfle i arddangos a dathlu’r gorau o greadigrwydd wrth i ni heneiddio!
I gael rhagor o wybodaeth ac i weld rhaglen y digwyddiadau, ewch i www.gwanwyn.org.uk