Turning Times

 

“It’s the primeval rocks of Gwynedd and the heavy mists hanging over Llanberis Pass, elements that had their place a thousand years ago as they will a thousand years from now…” -Kyffin Williams

 

From South to North, no matter where you go, you can rest assure that your never far from lush fields, an enchanted forest or mystic stream. The Welsh landscape is an artwork within its own right, and has been inspiring and captivating artists and poets for centuries, a fact that will with any hope remain for centuries to come. Many views and areas of Wales painted back in time remain the same today; it’s this timeless quality that is so charismatic and fascinating. With reference to J.M. Turner, Kyffin Williams and George Chapman, I went on a journey to discover the heart of Wales.

My aim is to challenge the idea of “the changing face of Wales”, and the almost desperate persistence of the media enforcing the proposal of regeneration. Of course regeneration is generally a good thing as it means improvements and better qualities, but this isn’t a new fixation. I feel with such amplified attention; we can easily forget the beauty that areas of Wales contain.

Photographing along the route to North Wales, I stopped at villages that really pulled me in such as Dinas-Mawddwy, Cemmaes and larger towns like Dolgellau. There were no set criteria of what and where to photograph, but I wanted to capture not only the exquisite scenery but these settlements that appear to be lost or hidden within the aura of the landscape.

I use the technique of overlaying two images, (an urban landscape beneath a rural landscape) I to camouflage the two whilst building up colour and texture, as if it were a painting. My choice of digital photography communicates the technological transitions in time. These prints are designed to become small gem like lightboxes. Portraying the glow and warmth of the Welsh countryside, enhancing the precious qualities that remind us of the positives that need no changing in Wales.