Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 1

Gareth Nash Ceramics 2015

Clay Horses: He Rides Side Saddle, Playing with Fire Ceffylau Clay: Ef Reidiau Ochr Cyfrwy, Chwarae â Thân Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 2 Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 3

Clay Horses: He Rides Side Saddle, Playing with Fire

Clay horses researches the history of the horse in ceramics from Tang Dynasty Tomb figures to mass produced brightly coloured Staffordshire figurines as a vehicle that explores human emotions and gender issues. Through the plasticity of clay and the symbolism of the horse and side saddle I express personal feelings and narratives. During my residency at Nantgarw China Works Museum I have been inspired to develop new making and glazing techniques motivated by its connection with horses and the use of horsepower along the Glamorganshire canal to deliver and transport clay and ceramics during its industrial past.

Being given access to the museum's collections and resources has fuelled my creativity and enabled me to produce this body of work. This exhibition presents the contemporary artistic possibilities of working expressively with clay. Receiving an Arts Council of Wales production grant for individuals has enabled me to advance my career as a ceramic artist with support from Rhondda Cynon Taff Arts Regeneration Team, Nantgarw China Works Museum and The Factory, Porth. I am excited to be part of a developing vibrant ceramic art scene in and around the South Wales valleys.

Private View Sat 3rd of October 2 - 7 pm. Exhibition: 4th - 16th of October 2015 at: Nantgarw China Works Museum, Tala Gwyn, Nantgarw, Cardiff. CF15 7TB Tel 01443 844131 10 am - 4pm Mon - Sun

Private View Mon 19th October 7 - 9pm. Exhibition: 20th - 31st of October 2015 at: The Factory, Jenkin Street, Porth, S.Wales. CF39 9PP Tel 01443 687080 10am - 4pm Mon - Sun Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 4

A Hidden History - Coal, Clay and Horses

"When I bestride him, I soar. I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes"

William Shakespeare, Henry V, (Act 3, Scene 7)

There have always been two passions in my life - Clay and Horses. As a keen rider I grew up around them and this adoration crossed over into my work as a ceramicist and became a key element in being able to express myself as an artist in clay.

When I was young my grandmother used to buy me brightly coloured plasticine strips and I would model horses and imagine myself riding them. I would spend hours observing a pony that lived on some scrap land behind our terraced house in the Rhondda Valleys. As my interest in a creative career grew I worked towards entry onto a B.A (hons) ceramic course at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff.

After gaining a first class degree I took up a position teaching art and design and an apprenticeship with architectural ceramicist Gwen Heeney, who inspired me to become a professional artist; wanting to develop my career further I was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London to study ceramics and glass. Whilst there I was encouraged by my tutor Allison Britton to explore animal mythology and the horse to inform my studio practice. After graduation I set up a workspace and produced a body of work to discover how I could use the plasticity of clay to express human emotions using the symbolism of the horse. Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 5

Through the development of my dissertation whilst at the Royal College of Art London, and visits to research the ceramic collections at the V&A and British Museum I was inspired by their Chinese Tang Dynasty horses embellished using glazes and coloured by three metal oxides called 'Sancai' literally 'Three colours'. As a ceramicist I am familiar with the challenges of making clay stand up on four legs and I marvelled at the skill of these master potters who's love and sensitive observation of their subject breathed life into these clay models over a thousand years ago. Only high status people rode and owned horses they symbolised wealth strength and freedom and were prized for their domestic service and use in military and sport such as Polo.

As a student I was unable to find a 'how to' guide book to making horses in clay so I decided to develop my own by researching the history of the horse in ceramics. Recently I have had the opportunity to observe first hand and examine two Tang Dynasty horses, one with a rider, from the ceramic collection at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff, with support from the ceramic curator. Being able to examine and speculate potential construction methods and a formulaic approach to carving key features of the horse's anatomy has helped in the development of my own modelling and building of clay horses.

Completing a residency at Nantgarw China Works museum has enabled me to produce a new body of work incorporating new building and glazing methods inspired by its collection and connection with horses to deliver and transport clay and ceramics along the Glamorganshire Canal. Studying the history of William Billingsley's and Thomas Pardoe's ceramics has confirmed my choice of career and I feel proud to have walked in their footsteps at Nantgarw China Works. My new body of work focuses on the horse as a carrier a source of support a key to freedom moving without fear towards a new life unafraid of expressing myself, my own personalised tomb figures. The image of the side saddle and horses are key features in the symbolism I use to create my ceramics telling personal stories and attempting to express human emotions and feelings that I experience.

Gareth Nash 2015 Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 6

Quotes:

Gwen Heeney: "Gareth's work has always been political and socially conscious, the humour / sadness within Gareth's work comes from his own experience, humane observation and deep concern for the human condition. Through his extremely fluent handling of the subject matter using the symbolism of the horse, Gareth has continued to challenge form, content and overwhelming social documentation as far as it is possible to go."

Shani Rhys James: "Gareth's organic, intuitive way of expressing himself through clay and the painterly quality of the way he uses glaze relates and empathizes with painters such as Picasso and Chagall. I also see a connection with his work and Bacon. Francis Bacon uses the accident to make the painting become what it wants to become then teases it. in a similar way Gareth's expressionist artworks use the accident, opportunistically using the accident in a positive way to enhance the final outcome of the piece."

I would like to thank the Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government and National Lottery for their support and financial backing of this project. I would also like to thank Rhondda Cynon Taff Arts development team for their assistance in helping me find my creative partners Nantgarw China Works Museum and The Factory, Porth. The support and guidance at Nantgarw China Works Museum from the resident ceramicists and trustees has been second to none. Thank you all for your kindness and inspiration. Andrew Renton, Ceramic Curator at the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff for access to their collection of Tang Dynasty Horses. Thank you to Gwen Heeney and Shani Rhys James for letters of support, Steejo for my Graphic and Exhibition Design, Beftahk at Octrozil for Music Production, Gwyn Griffiths for Welsh Translation and my family, John and Teddy for their never-ending belief in telling me that anything is possible if you work hard at it! And finally to Tiggy, a 17hh Thoroughbred horse who made me feel alive and that I can fly and follow my dreams.

www.garethnash.com

Photography: Front cover: Gareth Nash 2015, Page 1, 5: Gareth Nash 2015, Page 2, 6: Gwen Heeney 2014, Elizabeth Carey, 2014 Page 3,7: Gareth Nash 2015, Page 4,8: Gareth Nash 2015, Back Cover: Gareth Nash 2015, 1996, RCA 1999, Andrew Hurdle 2014.

www.artswales.org.uk www.thefactoryporth.co.uk www.nantgarwchinaworksmuseum.co.uk Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 7

Ceffylau Clai: Ef Reidiau Ochr Cyfrwy, Chwarae â Thân

Ceffylau Clai ymchwilio hanes y ceffyl mewn cerameg o ffigurau brenhinllin bedd Tang i màs gynhyrchu figurines Swydd Stafford lliwgar fel cyfrwng sy'n archwilio emosiynau dynol a materion rhyw. Trwy plastigrwydd o glai a symbolaeth y ceffyl a cyfrwy ochr yr wyf yn mynegi teimladau personol a naratifau. Yn ystod fy preswyl yn Amgueddfa Crochendy Nantgarw Rwyf wedi cael eu hysbrydoli i ddatblygu gwneud a sglein technegau newydd cymell gan ei gysylltiad â cheffylau a'r defnydd o bwer marchnerth ar hyd y gamlas Sir Forgannwg i gyflwyno a chlai trafnidiaeth a cherameg yn ystod ei gorffennol diwydiannol.

Mae bod mynediad a roddir i gasgliadau ac adnoddau'r amgueddfa wedi ysgogi fy creadigrwydd a fy ngalluogi i gynhyrchu corff hwn o waith. Mae'r arddangosfa hon yn cyflwyno posibiliadau artistig cyfoes o weithio mynegiant gyda chlai. Mae derbyn grant gynhyrchu Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru ar gyfer unigolion wedi fy ngalluogi i ddatblygu fy ngyrfa fel artist ceramig gyda chymorth gan Dîm Rhondda Cynon Taf Celfyddydau Adfywio, Amgueddfa Crochendy Nantgarw, The Factory, Porth. Rwy'n teimlo'n gyffrous i fod yn rhan o ddatblygu byd celf ceramig bywiog yn ac o gwmpas y cymoedd De Cymru.

Golygfa Breifat : Dydd Sadwrn 3ydd Hydref 2 - 7y.p. Arddangosfa: 4ydd - 16 eg, 2015 yn: Amgueddfa Crochendy Nantgarw, Tala Gwyn, Nantgarw, Caerdydd. CF15 7TB Ffôn 01443 844131 10 - 4y.p. Dydd Llun - Sul

Golygfa Breifat: Dydd Llun 19eg Hydref 7- 9y.p. Arddangosfa: 20fed - 31ain, Hydref, 2015 yn: The Factory, Stryd Jenkin, Porth, S.Wales. CF39 9PP Ffôn 01443 687080 10 - 4y.p Llun - Sul Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 8

Hanes Cudd – Glo, Clai a Cheffylau

"Pan fyddwyf yn ei farchogaeth, rwyn esgyn, yn hebog: mae'n damsangu'r awyr; mae'r tir yn canu dan ei gyffyrddiad ef; mae sain dwfn ei garnau yn fwy swynol na phib Hermes."

William Shakespeare, Henry V (Act 3, Golygfa 7)

Dau beth fu o ddiddordeb angerddol i mi oedd Clai a Cheffylau. Fel marchog brwd cefais fy magu gyda cheffylau o'm cwmpas ac fe groesodd yr hoffter hwnnw drosodd i fy ngwaith fel seramegydd a dod yn elfen allweddol yn fy ngallu i fynegi fy hun fel artist mewn clai.

Pan oeddwn i'n fychan byddai fy mamgu prynu stribedi o glai lliwgar i mi a byddwn yn gwneud modelau o geffylau gyda nhw a dychmygu fy hun yn eu marchogaeth. Treuliais oriau yn gwylio merlen oedd yn byw ar ddarn o dir tu ôl i'n ty teras yng Nghwm Rhondda. Wrth i fy niddordeb mewn gyrfa greadigol dyfu gweithiwn tuag at gwrs B.A. (Anrhyd.) yn Athrofa Prifysgol Cymru, Caerdydd. Wedi i mi gael Gradd Dosbarth Cyntaf cefais swydd yn dysgu celf a chynllunio ynghyd â phrentisiaeth gyda'r seramegydd pensaerniol Gwen Heeney. Hi oedd yr ysbrydoliaeth i mi i fynd yn artist proffesiynol; a gydar bwriad o ddatblygu fy ngyrfa ymhellach cefais ysgoloriaeth i'r Coleg Celf Brenhinol yn Llundain i astudio serameg a gwydr.

Pan oeddwn i yno anogwyd fi gan fy nhiwtor, Allison Britton, i astudio mytholeg anifeiliaid a'r ceffyl i lywio fy ngwaith yn y stiwdio. Wedi graddio a chael lle i weithio cynhyrchais gorff o waith i ganfod sut y medrwn ddefnyddio plastigrwydd y clai i fynegi emosiynau dynol drwy symboliaeth y ceffyl. Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 9

Tra'r oeddwn yn datblygu fy nhraethawd estynedig yn y Coleg Celf Brehinol ac yn ymweld â chasgliadau serameg y V&A a'r Amgueddfa Brydeinig cefais fy ysbrydoli gan geffyau Tsienaidd y Teulu Tang wedi eu haddurno drwy ddefnydd o wydreddau a'u lliwio gan dri ocsid metel a elwir yn 'Sancai' - yn llythrennol 'Tri lliw'. Fel seramagydd rwyn gyfarwydd â'r her o gael gweithau clai i sefyll ar bedair coes a rhyfeddwn at ddawn y meistri hyn - y cariad a'r arsylwi sensitif o'r gwrthrych roddodd fywyd i'r modelau clai hyn dros fil o flynyddoedd yn ôl. Pobl o statws uchel yn unig fyddai'n berchen a marchogaeth ceffylau. Roedd y ceffyl yn cynrychioli cyfoeth, grym a rhyddid ac fe'i perchid am ei wasanaeth domestig a'i ddefnydd milwrol ac mwn campau fel Polo.

Tra'n fyfyriwr methais ddod o hyd i unrhyw lyfr oedd yn dweud sut i wneud ceffyl o glai felly penderfynais ddatblygu fy ffordd fy hun drwy ymchwilio hanes y ceffyl mewn serameg. Yn ddiweddar cefais gyfle i arsylwi'n fanwl ac archwilio dau geffyl o'r Teulu Tang, un gyda marchog, o gasgliad serameg Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Cymru yng Nghaerdydd, gyda chefnogaeth y curadur serameg. Bu'r cyfle i edrych yn ofalus a dyfalu dulliau adeiladu posibl ac ymagwedd fformiwläig i gerfio nodweddion allweddol anatomeg y ceffyl o help i ddatblygu fy ngwaith modeli ac adeiladu ceffylau o glai fy hunan.

Cwblhau cyfnod preswyl yn amgueddfa Crochendy Nantgarw wedi fy ngalluogi i gynhyrchu corff newydd o waith yn cynnwys adeiladu a gwydro dulliau newydd a ysbrydolwyd gan ei gasglu a chysylltiad gyda cheffylau i gyflwyno a chlai trafnidiaeth a cherameg ar hyd Camlas Sir Forgannwg. Mae astudio hanes cerameg William Billingsley a Thomas Pardoe wedi cadarnhau fy dewis o yrfa ac rwy'n teimlo'n falch o fod wedi cerdded yn eu traed yng Crochendy Nantgarw. Mae fy corff newydd o waith yn canolbwyntio ar y ceffyl fel cludydd yn ffynhonnell o gefnogaeth allwedd i ryddid symud heb ofn tuag at fywyd newydd nid yw ofn o fynegi fy hun, fy ffigurau beddrod personol eu hunain. Mae delwedd y cyfrwy ochr a cheffylau yn nodweddion allweddol yn y symbolaeth Rwy'n defnyddio i greu fy cerameg adrodd straeon personol a cheisio i fynegi emosiynau a theimladau dynol yr wyf yn profi.

Gareth Nash 2015 Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 10

Dyfyniadau:

Gwen Heeney: "Mae gwaith Gareth bob amser wedi bod wleidyddol ac yn ymwybodol yn gymdeithasol, mae'r hiwmor / tristwch o fewn gwaith Gareth yn dod o ei brofiad ei hun, arsylwi trugarog a phryder dwfn ar gyfer y cyflwr dynol. Trwy ei drin yn hynod rhugl y cynnwys gan ddefnyddio symbolaeth y ceffyl, Mae Gareth wedi parhau i herio ffurf, cynnwys a dogfennau cymdeithasol llethol cyn belled ag y mae'n bosibl i fynd."

Shani Rhys James: "Organig ffordd Gareth, sythweledol o fynegi ei hun drwy glai ac ansawdd arluniol y ffordd y mae'n defnyddio gwydredd yn ymwneud ag ef ac yn empathizes â arlunwyr megis Picasso a Chagall. Rwyf hefyd yn gweld cysylltiad gyda'i waith a Bacon. Francis Bacon yn defnyddio'r ddamwain i wneud y llun yn dod yn hyn y mae am i fod yna teases ei. mewn ffordd debyg weithiau celf mynegiadol Gareth defnyddio'r ddamwain, yn fanteisgar drwy ddefnyddio'r ddamwain mewn ffordd gadarnhaol i wella canlyniad terfynol y darn."

Hoffwn ddiolch i Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru, Llywodraeth Cymru a'r Loteri Genedlaethol am eu cefnogaeth a'u cefnogaeth ariannol y prosiect hwn. Hoffwn hefyd ddiolch i Anne Hayes a’r tîm datblygu Celfyddydau Rhondda Cynon Taf am eu cymorth wrth fy helpu i ddod o hyd i fy partneriaid creadigol Amgueddfa Crochendy Nantgarw a The Factory, Porth. Mae'r gefnogaeth a'r cyfarwyddyd yn Amgueddfa Crochendy Nantgarw o'r seramegyddion preswylydd ac ymddiriedolwyr wedi bod yn anhygoel. Hoffwn ddiolch i chi gyd am eich caredigrwydd ac ysbrydoliaeth. Andrew Renton, curadur serameg yn Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Cymru, Caerdydd ar gyfer mynediad at eu Ceffylau Brenhinllin Tang. Diolch yn fawr i Gwen Heeney a Shani Rhys James am lythyrau o gefnogaeth, Steejo ar gyfer fy dylunio graffeg ac arddangosfa, Beftahk yn Octrozil, ar gyfer cynhyrchu cerddoriaeth, Gwyn Griffiths ar gyfer cyfieithu Cymraeg a fy nheulu am eu cred byth-dod i ben yn dweud wrthyf fod unrhyw beth yn bosibl os ydych yn gweithio yn galed arno! Ac yn olaf i Tiggy, ceffyl pedigri 17hh a wnaeth i mi de deimlo'n fyw ac y gallaf hedfan a dilyn fy mreuddwydion. www.garethnash.com

Ffotograffiaeth: Clawr blaen: Gareth Nash 2015, Tudalen 1, 5: Gareth Nash 2015, Tudalen 2, 6: Gwen Heeney 2014, Elizabeth Carey, Tudalen 3,7: Gareth Nash 2015, Tudalen 4,8: Gareth Nash 2015, Clawr Cefn : Gareth Nash 2015, 1996, RCA 1999, Andrew Hurdle 2014.

www.artswales.org.uk www.thefactoryporth.co.uk www.nantgarwchinaworksmuseum.co.uk Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 11 Nash pages-4 7/9/15 3:40 PM Page 12