Croesi/Crossings Exhibition Arts Council Wales

"Coracle Fishers on the Teifi"

"Emigrating to American" from Fishhguard Harbour to NY, NY

The pilgrims. Illustration on canvas with hand-printed paper, acrylic and shell. The image used on the invitation to the open evening of my Croesi/Crossings exhibition, supported by the Arts Council of Wales and my creative partner, Oriel y Parc, St. Davids, Pembrokeshire.

St. Brendan and the Whale. Collage relief illustration of a 6th century event.

A detail from the collage relief, St. Brendan and the Whale, one in a series of work from my "Croesi/ Crossings" series, supported by the Arts Council of Wales, and being created during my current Artist-in-Residencey at Oriel y Parc, St. Davids, Wales. Exhibition runs from 20 December 2013 - 31 January 2014.

A piece of work close to my heart for many reasons. It hangs in the Lady Chapel, St. Davids Cathedral. I wanted to paint St. David as a child with his mother Non. He would have hated being an icon dressed in full Medieval regalia. So this is my quiet tribute to them both, partly drawn in stained glass inspired lines and by the out of proportion small boats shown in Celtic art.

Who killed St. Justinian? A relief collage with acrylic, hand-printed paper, ink, horse hair and other finds. The image illustrates monks making a get-away after St. Justinian lost his head!

"The Timber Carriers from Porth Clais" full image

Detail of The Timber Carriers

Solva departing

Solva in port

"Immigrants below deck"

Dangerous seas in dangerous times

A Thin Place. Interpretation of the Celtic saying that St. Davids is "a thin place" where the distance between heaven and earth is very small.

Contemplative soul

St. Patrick Upon the Irish Sea

Awash in Gold, inspired by 5th and 6th century Irish art

The Voyageurs, acrylic on board

"The Bitches" a rocky reef in the Irish Sea between Wexford and St. Davids

Coracle fisher in modern times

Description

Oriel y Parc’s current artist-in-residence has created a spirited series of paintings and relief collage depicting significant journeys across the rivers and seas in and around Pembrokeshire. Deborah’s inspiration is life in St. Davids, Celtic and medieval art, Welsh history, beliefs, landscape and people.

“Sea crossings are not only central to the story of Christianity and West Wales, but have also had a major impact on my life. I was born in America because my Welsh grandparents boarded the Aquitania, and crossed the Atlantic to New York, and a new life. And seventy years on, I made the crosssing in the opposite direction to come back.”

For

The Arts Council of Wales, Oriel y Parc, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Type

Exhibition of mixed media collage work

URL

www.orielyparc.co.uk, deborah-withey.com