Art in Bro Celynnin

There is a rich association with art and faith in Bro Celynnin, through exhibitions, collaboration, community projects, and now through the work of the extremely talented Studio Art Collective in our Ministry Area, headed by artist Terry Mart. The below shows snippets of our artistic endeavours, and will be updated regularly with the goings on of this vibrant community of artists we are so very lucky to work with in Conwy and beyond.

Bro Celynnin Studio Collective

Studio Collective is a group of artists of various disciplines centred around the Conwy area. They have shown in St. Joseph’s, Colwyn Bay, St. Mary’s, Conwy, St. Gwynan’s, Dwygyfylchi, St. Grwst’s, Llanrwst and in community venues in the area. Not all their work is faith-focussed as they also show in their own groups locally and across the country. Studio Collective has a following of members from further afield also.

Bro Celynin has made them most welcome with two large exhibitions at St. Mary’s and St. Benedict’s, Gyffin, with another planned to coincide with the Celtic Services this winter. We have been invited for three years consecutively to Gloddaeth United Church, Llandudno for submissions to coincide with their Bible Week Festival.

We do not carry out any practical work together but have much to discuss about forthcoming events. For example, St. Kentigern’s Hospice in St. Asaph invited us to offer work for the Chaplaincy there this coming December. We usually meet in Deganwy or Eglwys Bach for a bring-and-share lunch then discussion, for two hours, usually fortnightly, on a Tuesday at 1.00.

If you are a practitioner of any standard or discipline and would like to meet our very friendly group of artists please get in touch with Terry Mart on 07538 737919.

Previous exhibitions and projects

Cranes of Peace 2024

In collaboration with Pensychnant Conservation Centre and the Creu Conwy Town Team, St. Mary’s Conwy displayed the enormous Cranes of Peace community art programme throughout the summer season in 2024. Read more about this inspirational project and see more pictures of the project at the link.

Cranes of Peace

Studio Art Collective Exhibition 2024

In June 2024, the Studio Art Collective displayed their beautiful artwork in St. Mary’s Conwy, which was created during the Celtic Praise Series in St. Benedict’s Gyffin over the winter season. Inspired by the services, these wonderful artworks were very well received during the exhibition.

Conwy Art Weekend in Conwy’s St. Mary’s Church (October 2019)

In October 2019, St. Mary’s Conwy hosted a weekend of art, with workshops, talks, and events including ‘Discover your inner Michelangelo’ and a wonderful evening of Art and Music, where the results from the weekend were displayed alongside a full programme of relaxing live music.

Keswick Bible Week in Llandudno’s Gloddaeth Church (May 2019)

Tom Shea is an Artist in residence, and he writes about his experience of the Gloddaeth / Keswick Convention for Caru Conwy:-

“Exiting, laced with a little trepidation, was my initial feeling, when the opportunity came to be “Artist in residence” for Bible Week at Gloddaeth Church. Each night, there was an energetic buzz in the church. The congregation were very friendly, supportive and engaging. I was surprised by how much interest was shown, and chatted with people, before and afterwards, about the art work.”

“To loosen up, I roughly sketched the congregation as they settled in, gradually getting to grips with some characterisation of expressive body positions. I attempted to depict the main scenes of Luke’s gospel, as the speaker expressed it – thought-provoking speakers – a different gospel for each of the three evenings. I found myself sketching non-stop, filling every minute that was available, and I was surprised at the end, at how the concentration gave me a happy tiredness.”

“I enjoyed trying to capture the congregation, the band and Christ particularly, the thief and good thief on the cross. I made some initial marks, and while James was unfolding the story with questions and insights, I tried not to play it safe, but to go with the feeling, as my hearing engaged with the story of the good thief. I attempted to make the marks more expressive, and to go with the moment.”

“Prior to attending, I would do some sketching, and reading of the gospels at home, as a warm up and to get the rhythm flowing. It was at this time, that I took the opportunity to study some famous depictions, and to embellish them later. These included James Tissot’s weeping woman, wiping Jesus’s feet with her hair, and Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus.”

Creation Art Exhibition (Spring 2019)

In 2019, the St. Mary’s Art Group produced some beautiful pieces of art, with various interpretations on the theme of Creation. The exhibition ran during the Spring – see the wonderful creations below.

Saints Art Exhibition Summer (2018)

St. Mary’s Art Group also held an Art Exhibition over the Summer months of 2018. The inspirational and thought-provoking art was based on the theme of Saints. The Art Group was influenced by biblical accounts, the Celtic Church, and those called to Ministry in modern times. Inspirational, reflective and thought-provoking are all words used to describe the art, by people who visited the Art Exhibition at St. Mary’s Church, in Conwy.

Entitled People Like Us, Angela Rigby Doble used the faces from the Book of Kells, reflecting that the monks who illustrated it would have used the faces of people around them. The cross was once a coffee take-away cup carrier. Ordinary things like us can be re-imagined, and made beautiful, even saintly, by God.

There was a feminist reworking of Rublev’s 15th century Trinity Icon called The Three Marys, by Clare Howard Weiner.

Conwy Bird Trail

Conwy County Borough Council approached St. Mary’s Church to come up with a design for a metal figurine that was related to the Church’s role in the town of Conwy. The completed figure is one of a series that make up a trail around the town, with sculptor/curator Miranda Meilleur. The group’s coordinator Terry Mart says:-

“When the invitation came from David, our Vicar, for St. Mary’s Art Group to be involved in designing an installation for the Conwy Trail, which was to be located somewhere near the Church, there was great interest and enthusiasm from the members. We called a meeting. We understood from the Council’s brief that sculptures were required which would tell the story of Conwy to visitors who decided to follow the Conwy Trail around the town. The installations would be located on strategic buildings, the ideas for which would come from people connected to these sites, and would reflect the nature, history and purpose of their building.”

“At our first meeting, the Art Group settled on the idea that a Dove would be the most appropriate symbol for St. Mary’s Church and we looked forward to meeting the co-ordinator from the Council, Janet Johnson, and the artist, Miranda Meilleur, who would work with our ideas and suggestions, to make the installations. The meeting took place at The Royal Cambrian Academy, where we spent an afternoon with Miranda working up our Dove design. Miranda also seemed quite taken with Kent’s suggestions, and illustrations, that designs of different birds might make a unifying theme for all the sites, especially as the Jackdaw was already a popular motif for the people of Conwy town.”

“We submitted our ideas and drawn designs, and awaited the outcome. It was interesting to hear that Miranda used the workshop of Sarah’s brother to make the installations, so a nice network of collaborative practice was set up and utilised. Working together on this project for the Church helped our Art Group to bond. It was in its infancy, so it gave us an opportunity to contribute to the life of Conwy’s community on behalf of the Church. To have had the experience of working with Janet and Miranda was very special, and to see the result of our ideas in final form gracing the Vicarage and Church grounds is a real privilege.”

The bird trail was postponed for a number of years, largely due to the pandemic, but was picked up again by the newly developed Town Team in Conwy in association with Creu Conwy. The Town Team received UKSPF Funding, of which a portion was allocated to a sub-team of organisations and participants from within the group led by members from the Carneddau Project. The Trail was subsequently finished in early 2025, and is now available to view, walk, and complete in a beautiful tour around our lovely town. Find out more here

Pilgrimage Art Exhibition (Summer 2017)

“The title was chosen because it is broad enough to offer interesting possibilities for a range of artistic expression while engaging with a vital and valuable Christian practice.”

“Pilgrimage can be something physical, such as a walk or journey of spiritual exploration, often to a sacred space connected with a saint. Some of the work follows this approach and endeavours, along the way, to find contemporary parallels to the traditional stories that are associated with the saint and the place.”

“Pilgrimage, however, can also make an internal journey as life’s experiences force unwanted change upon us. This kind can be lonely and difficult, perhaps sometimes with only a glimmer of faith and hope to draw us on among unanswered questions and unresolved disappointments. Some of the poetry addresses such themes.”

“Each artist, or poet, has responded in their own way according to their method of working, so just like any pilgrimage, as you make your way round the items placed here, you may find yourself walking alongside someone with similar thoughts. Their work and yours, for there is a place for you to contribute, makes up the whole…sometimes the meeting and exchanging of ideas is almost as good as arriving.”