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Criw Celf Art Exhibition

Published: 26/06/2015

Students taking part in Flintshire’s Criw Celf project for able and gifted young artists have had their work professionally exhibited at Holywell Art and Craft Mill this week. Some of the participants have been with Criw Celf for four years. There is a second group which has started this year, recruited from Years 5 and 6 from Flintshire schools. A third group exhibiting were younger children taking part in Criw Celf Bach who have been working with artist, Honor Pedican on Saturdays in Flintshire Libraries. The students in the Criw Celf groups have learned techniques and have been introduced to media above and beyond what they ordinarily receive in school, and the resulting work illustrated the blossoming talent of our young Flintshire artists. Each Criw Celf group has worked with three professional artists for two full days with each one. The older group was tutored by Visual Artist Ticky Lowe, Visual Artist and Painter Catrin Webster, and Basketmaker Mandy Coates. Over the course of four years they have worked with 12 professional artists.The younger Criw Celf group in their first year worked with Glass Artist Rhian Haf, Textile Artist Cefyn Burgess, and Environmental Artist Tim Pugh. The Criw Celf participants produced work of a high quality and of a standard that could be exhibited in any professional art gallery. The Criw Celf Bach group showed promise of what the youngest children will be able to produce if they continue with the Criw Celf programme. The Criw Celf art project originated in Gwynedd in 2007 as a partnership between Conwy County Borough Council and Gwynedd Council. Since 2012, Anglesey Council, Denbighshire County Council, Flintshire County Council and Wrexham County Borough Council have developed the project within their regions making it the first pan-North Wales visual art project targeted at more able and talented young people. Criw Celf in Flintshire is funded by Arts Council Wales and the Arts, Culture and Events Section of Flintshire County Council who has also developed the project for the county. Image L to R are: Beth Ditson, Rhian Haf, Vice Chairman Cllr Peter Curtis, Mandy Coates, and Honor Pedican. The children left to right are: Olivia Ashbrook, Flint High School, Liam Martin, Gronant CP, Callum Martin, Prestatyn High School, Elias Kardzin, Ysgol Gymraeg Gwenffrwd.