Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

A missing marble bust by eminent Welsh sculptor Joseph Edwards (1814-1882) has been rediscovered overlooked in an under-stairs cupboard in the Old College at Aberystwyth University. The bust, of prolific nineteenth century scholar and historian Thomas Stephens of Merthyr Tydfil (1821-1875), is believed to have reached Aberystwyth along with Stephen’s papers which were donated by his family to the National Library of Wales. At the time, the National Library of Wales was housed in the Old College. The bust may have been overlooked when the papers were transferred to the new National Library of Wales building in the late 1930s. Neil Holland from the School of Art explains: “A great deal of work has taken place since the 1960s to re-catalogue and re-assemble artefacts and collections donated to the University since 1872, and as far as we can recall we have never come across any accession record for the bust of Thomas Stephens in all that time. So it has been hidden away for at least 40 y...

The Oriel Myrddin Gallery featured maker for November and December is blacksmith and sculptor, Mike Davies. Mike is a third generation blacksmith working in Pembrokeshire and has more recently studied Fine Art Sculpture (BA Hons) at West Wales School of the Arts in Carmarthen. He still has an incessant passion for working with wrought iron and steel. He says: “These materials are strong and heavy with uses extensively in Industry, essentially cold and lifeless. However, light delicate flowing forms can be achieved with the forging technique. This breathes life and energy into the material, transforming it into inherently tactile objects.” It is this transformation that interests and inspires Mike to experiment using an amalgamation of traditional and contemporary techniques, “Handling the ironwork, feeling the different textures, enables you to experience the power and vitality within the work.” Mike has created a contemporary fire basket and a set of exquisitely designed fi...

Llanelli sculptor Adriano Candelori is staging a special exhibition of his work at Llanelli's Parc Howard Museum and Art Gallery this summer. Entitled 'Adriano Candelori, Sculptor, a retrospective', the show starts on Saturday, June 29 and runs until September 28. Adriano Candelori, originally from Terni, Umbria, in Italy, came to Wales after World War Two, during which, like many young men of his time, his education and career prospects had been interrupted by the German occupation of his town. While in Wales, visiting family in Llanelli, Adriano secured an employment contract with the Steel Company of Wales for which he initially worked as a 'Behinder' in the Old Castle Tinplate Works. After the term of his contract, he remained in the town, married a local girl and has lived and worked in Llanelli for more than 50 years, participating fully in the life of the community and working in education. His wife, Shirley Jenkins is the daughter of Hector and Nelli...