Ports, Past and Present: Creative Connections across the Irish Sea
Porthladdoedd, Ddoe a Heddiw: Cysylltiadau Creadigol ar draws Môr Iwerddon

15 October 2022 – 8 January 2023 | 15 Hydref 2022 – 8 Ionawr 2023

Most of the work for Creative Connections was on display at Ucheldre Centre for the final exhibition of 2022. The centre of the exhibition space was filled with a series of cases displaying Marged Pendrell’s flotilla with the Community Boat suspended above. More of Marged’s work was hung on the walls as well as the illustrations by Peter Stevenson and photographs by Zillah Bowes. The large banner from Augustine O’Donoghue’s installation in Dublin added additional colour. 

In addition to the framed set of postcards of the five ports by Julie Merriman, a set of prints of her image of Holyhead Railway Station demonstrated the variations of the same image in prints produced by the Gestetner Neo-Cyclostyle Duplicating machine. The two films by David Begley (The Wexford Whale) and Peter Stevenson and Jacob Whittaker (Uisce Dŵr Water) were exhibited on a screen and Peter Murphy’s radio play We Have Always Been Your Harbour was available on an audio player. 

The large reproduction of Robert Jakes’ Sea of Stories continued to attract interest and the work of the writers on the project was represented on wall panels. A new set of images by artist (and exhibition co-curator and designer) Martin Crampin was exhibited with the project work for the first time, drawing attention to the connection between Holyhead and Dublin through St Cybi, patron of the church at Holyhead (Caergybi). 

The opening of the exhibition was attended by Marged Pendrell, who discussed her flotilla of boats, and the contributions of different local groups and individuals to the Community Boat. Gillian Brownson read from her new book The Mermaid’s Purse and Other Stories in Rhyme, which was launched at the exhibition.

Roedd y rhan fwyaf o'r gwaith ar gyfer Cysylltiadau Creadigol i’w gweld yng Nghanolfan Ucheldre ar gyfer arddangosfa derfynol 2022. Cafodd canol y gofod arddangos ei lenwi â chyfres o gasau yn dangos fflotila Marged Pendrell gyda'r Cwch Caergybi yn hongian uwchben. Cafodd mwy o waith Marged ei hongian ar y waliau yn ogystal â'r darluniau gan Peter Stevenson a ffotograffau gan Zillah Bowes. Roedd y faner fawr o osodiad Augustine O'Donoghue yn Nulyn yn ychwanegu rhagor o liw.

Yn ogystal â'r set o gardiau post o'r pum porthladd mewn fframiau gan Julie Merriman, roedd set o brintiau o'i delwedd o Orsaf Reilffordd Caergybi yn dangos amrywiadau ar yr un ddelwedd mewn printiau a gynhyrchwyd gan beiriant dyblygu Neo-Cyclostyle Gestetner. Cafodd y ddwy ffilm gan David Begley (The Wexford Whale) a Peter Stevenson a Jacob Whittaker (Uisce Dŵr Water) eu harddangos ar sgrin ac roedd drama radio Peter Murphy, We Have Always Been Your Harbour ar gael ar chwaraewr sain.

Parhaodd yr atgynhyrchiad mawr o Sea of Stories Robert Jakes i ennyn diddordeb a chynrychiolwyd gwaith awduron y prosiect ar baneli wal. Cafodd set newydd o ddelweddau gan yr artist (a chyd-guradur a dylunydd yr arddangosfeydd) Martin Crampin ei dangos gyda gwaith y prosiect am y tro cyntaf, gan dynnu sylw at y cysylltiad rhwng Caergybi a Dulyn trwy Cybi Sant, nawddsant yr eglwys yng Nghaergybi.

Un a oedd yn bresennol yn yr arddangosfa oedd Marged Pendrell, a fu'n trafod ei fflotila o gychod, a chyfraniadau gwahanol grwpiau lleol ac unigolion at y Cwch Caergybi. Darllenodd Gillian Brownson o'i llyfr newydd The Mermaid's Purse and Other Stories in Rhyme, a lansiwyd yn yr arddangosfa.