: Casglwyr a Chasgliadau

We're getting really stuck in now. We've had a complete set of pages, which is our chance to move or replace any images, or perhaps move pages around. Once we've done that the layout is set in stone and we start proofreading. While we proofread the English, the designer will work on the Welsh pages - that's why it's important that nothing moves around after we've agreed on the layout!

We had some new external shots of the church done, so that we'd have a wider choice to try out for the cover. I think we're pretty close to deciding on the image. And I think the title is decided too:

Saving St Teilo's: bringing a medieval church to life.

I hope it's a strong title, and I like the fact that we get the name 'St Teilo's' right in there at the beginning!

We're also moving ahead with the launch event. It will be in the spring, March or maybe April. It should be a lovely event, it will be lighter then - and warmer!

We had a very positive meeting with the book's designer before Christmas at St Fagans. She's come up with some lovely ideas, it makes a big difference when you've seen something and you then have a set of images and visual themes you can relate to. The design manages to convey a sense of the crafts, skills and techniques behind the whole project, which is something I really want the book to convey.

We're still looking for exactly the right image for the cover though. We decided, although it might seem a bit unimaginative, to use a picture of the exterior of the Church. For all the amazing images we've got of the interiors, especially of course the wall paintings, I really believe that the audience for this book will be looking for a book with a picture of the church on it - sounds obvious I suppose! The book covers many things including art, archaeology and architecture, but in the end it's primarily about the story of St Teilo's Church. So that's the message the cover will convey. Plus, the building itself is now so recognisable, its shape is almost iconic.

I think one of the features that draw people to the Church is the contrast between the simple, white, almost humble-looking exterior and the riot of colour and images inside.

As soon as I've got images of the sample spreads I'll publish them here - it would be very interesting to know what people think of them!

I'm working on a book about the fantastic St Teilo's Church at St Fagans. Been really looking forward to this one, it's a lovely story and there's a wealth of fab images - unlike usually, when I have to scrabble around for some decent stuff. I thought we'd be much further on than we are mind, I really expected to be up to my ears in proofs by now. I sort of know why we're further behind than I'd planned, just can't quite explain. Or I could, but it still probably wouldn't make much sense. Plus, designers work in different ways, and this one likes to take a lot of time 'up front' working on the design concept, then when that's agreed we crack on with the proofreading fairly quickly. I suppose I'm more comfortable with spending the bulk of the time at the proofreading stage, especially with a fairly text-heavy book like this one. Still, we always manage to end up with a book on time. I should be designing the marketing plan by now, but I'm still getting the images together and finishing the copy - things like indexes, the glossary, that kind of thing. And I haven't written any of the image captions yet, which I decided would be quite long, narrative style, so that we don't have to cram absolutely everything into the main copy.

Having to work within a financial year is odd too - not at all the way publishing works. I could get really quite anxious about this if I let myself. I just have to concentrate on how good the book's going to look, and having a high-profile launch, with a popular speaker, where everybody buys a copy of the book, which will get great reviews...

In our favour is the fact that the Church is already incredibly popular and has had a lot of good press. The whole re-erection project at St Fagans has built up a swell of good will, and the Church has its own loyal following - a sort of fan-base! All that's keeping me going at the moment, but I know things are going to get pretty intense over the next couple of months.

O'r diwedd, dwi'n gallu canolbwyntio am hanner awr ar sgwennu'r blog yma, y blog cyntaf ers dros chwe mis. Y prif reswm fod gen i amser i sgwennu ydi fy mod wedi stopio gweithio dau ddiwrnod yr wythnos yn Oriel 1, felly rwy'n araf bach ddal i fyny gyda'r gwaith curadurol oedd yn dioddef oherwydd y ddau ddwrnod coll yna.

Ers y blog diwethaf, rydym wedi bod yn gweithio ar ardddangosfeydd Saethyddiaeth, Meddygol, Yr Urdd, Pop ac Eidalwyr yng Nghymru.

Dwi hefyd wedi bod yn ceisio cydlynu digwyddiadau Sain Ffagan ar gyfer 2009, pryd mai Cerddoriaeth fydd y thema, a gweithio ar y Ddresel Gymunedol nesaf, pryd bydd Clwb Bocsio Cwm Carn yn dangos eu metel.

Dwi hefyd wedi mynychu sawl cynhadledd, yn Stockholm, Llundain, Birmingham, Bolton a Llandrindod, wedi dysgu llawer, ac wedi rhannu profiadau am faterion casglu cyfoes. Mae drafft o Gynllun Casglu Cyfoes yr amgueddfa wedi ei anfon at fy nghyd-guraduron, a caiff ei drafod mewn cyfarfod ar ddiwedd y mis.

Dwi dal heb dderbynodi gwrthrych eto, sydd ychydig yn rhwystredig. Yn rhannol, da ni dal yn disgwyl canlyniad y cyfarfod uchod, ond dwi'n eithaf hyderus fy mod yn gwybod-ish beth i'w gasglu. Bydd rhaid i fi fod yn amyneddgar - wedi'r cyfan, bydd deunydd cyfoes dal o gwmpas mewn ychydig fisoedd...neu fydd yna?

Na'i drio sgwennu hwn yn fwy rheolaidd, ond, byddwch yn gwybod, os na welwch chi ddim, fydda i mor brysur yn casglu, fydd dim amser gen i. Hwyl wan.

Newydd sgwennu llith yn ateb ymholiad pbhj ar gyfer fersiwn Saesneg y blog yma. Dwi ddim am ei ailadrodd i gyd yma - roedd yn gwestiwn gan berson unieithog yn amlwg. Roedd yn gofyn beth oedd y tebygrwydd rhwng Cymraeg a British Sign Language (gweler y blog diwethaf). Os oes diddordeb, cliciwch ar English ar top y ddalen.

Daeth cwestiwn lot neisiach gan Sabrina Rochemont yn gofyn sut allai fy helpu. Wel, os oes gan rywun farn ar sut mae casglu'r 'Cyfoes', buaswn yn falch iawn cael clywed gennych. A ddylai amgueddfeydd gasglu pob teclyn electroneg dan haul, neu dim ond y rhai sydd a stori ddiddorol? Er enghraifft, rhoddodd rhywun ZX Spectrum, yn ei focs, bron fel newydd i mi y diwrnod o'r blaen. Mae hyn yn anarferol iawn, gan fod llawer o wrthrychau'n cael eu gwerthu ar e-bay y dyddiau yma. Ond oes cysylltiad â Chymru? Oes. Oes stori ddiddorol? Oes. Ydyn ni'n debygol o'i arddangos? Ydyn. Ac yn y blaen - mae'n rhaid cyfiawnhau casglu ar sawl lefel wahanol, yn bennaf oherwydd diffyg lle.

Agwedd arall o'r swydd yw delio â chymunedau - mae holl ethos amgueddfeydd yn nnewid - dim adeilad i arddangos trysorau a ddygwyd ydyn nhw bellach, ond canolfannau addysg a hwyl i'r gymdeithas ehangach. Ond wrth gydweithio, oes peryg bod yn nawddoglyd neu docenistic?

Reit, i orffen, dyma, yn fras, beth ydw i wedi bod yn ei wneud dros y mis diwethaf: wedi cael cyfarfodydd blaenorol i drefnu'r Arddangosfa Bop yn 2009; bues mewn cyfarfod yn y Trallwng i geisio ffurfio polisi Casglu Cyfoes ar gyfer holl amgueddfeydd Cymru; mynychais fy ail weithdy Straeon Digidol er mwyn dysgu mwy am sut i weithio gyda chymunedau; casglais y gwrthrychau ar gyfer yr ail Ddresel Gymunedol o Johnstown, ger Wrecsam (mae gwybodaeth am y ddresel gyntaf ar 'Rhagor' ar y wefan yma); ymwelais a dau amgueddfa'n Abertawe; a cychwynais fy nghwrs MA Astudiaethau Amgueddfeydd.

Whiw! Erbyn i fi sgrifennu mis nesaf, byddaf wedi bod yn Sweden ar gyfer cynhadledd SAMDOK, sef y grŵp casglu cyfoes mwya blaenllaw yn y byd. Wela i chi wap.