The spectacular and varied landscapes of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park has provided inspiration for generations of artists and the new ‘Art in the Park’ project is certainly no exception. The successful local arts project has given 120 students the opportunity to work in glorious surroundings with leading professional local artists Megan Jones and Sue Hiley Harris.
With funding support from the Brecon Museum Art Trust, every student was provided with a copy of 8 Stones, 8 Artists: Exploring the Beacons Way Art Trail by David Moore to enable them to not only make a rubbing of the art work on the trail but to be inspired to create their own response to their surroundings.
The Beacons Way Art Trail is an environmental art project developed by the Brecknock Museum Art Trust and the Bannau Brycheiniog Park Society. Dubbed ‘The Holy Mountain to Bethlehem’ the art trail passes through some of the most dramatic countryside in Wales taking walkers on a journey across the heart of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park starting at Skirrid Fawr, near Abergavenny and ending in Bethlehem, near Llandeilo. It was created in 2007 by eight artists working in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park who were tasked with creating a series of small relief images which were then set into local stone. These stones are now placed on each section of the Beacons Way long distance footpath which at nearly 100 miles long generally takes about 8 days to complete.
Jason Williams Art & Design lecturer at Merthyr Tydfil College said: “Getting art students out of the studio environment is an excellent idea. It challenges how they view art and the contexts in which it can be made. Getting an artist to discuss work was an opportunity that students benefit from enormously. We are fortunate to have some great natural resources such as the National Park. The students enjoyed the trip; some saying it was the best they’ve been on since joining the course.”
These opportunities were made possible with kind support and funding from the Bannau Brycheiniog Park Society, the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority. To enquire about a future visit please contact the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority Education Department on 01874 620 463