I live in a Pontnewydd, a small village in Cwmbran. From the moment I wake up until I go to bed my day is spent organising and coordinating the procurement of materials – mostly bedding – for my facebook group 'Cwmbran Sewing Group' to convert into much needed scrubs, laundry bags and ear protectors for the NHS and care staff in our local area.
I was a foot health practitioner and had to close my business straight away as it involves physical contact. I decided to form the sewing group to keep myself and some of my patients occupied, mentally and physically whilst benefitting front line staff.
My group have all donated a quilting square to commemorate our time in lockdown and the pandemic that brought us all together in a way that was personal to them. The quilt is being made up at this moment and will measure 91'' x 91'' on completion.
It has been a very stressful time for many but I think we have all learned a lot from this tragic event. I am happy and satisfied that I've been able to do my bit to help other people, within my group and those outside of it that had to remain in work.
In the first part of my blog I discussed a little about the role myself and two fellow volunteers undertook when completing an exhibition evaluation placement as part of the ARTIST ROOMS: August Sander exhibition at National Museum Cardiff. In this second part I would like to explain more about why I applied for this placement and how my experience highlights the significance of recording exhibition evaluation feedback.
As this placement presented an opportunity to work with a photography exhibition, I wanted the chance not only to get to know the work of Sander but to gain an understanding of photography as an aesthetic and material format. Moreover, my primary area of art-historical knowledge is based around painting, print and decorative art. So, the placement offered me a kind of prompt to discover more about how photographs can be displayed to encourage diverse public interaction.
As well, I thought that aiding my understanding of why curatorial decisions are made regarding the display of photographic material, and especially how younger audiences can be reached though utilising particular curatorial strategies, would be beneficial. Exhibition evaluation, too, is something which I think is essential to help assess what elements worked, what didn’t and how visitor feedback could point towards creating more engaging displays in the future. Just as significantly, I was keen to take on a role that involved being a presence in the gallery, watch people interact with the work and listen to what they thought about it.
During the placement, the fact that we were physically situated in the Sander exhibition certainly permitted enjoyable conversation with a variety of visitors. Many had come specifically to see Sander’s portraits, but a sizeable number stumbled across the exhibition during their museum exploration. By talking with us in the gallery space, as well as being able to record opinions on the iPad surveys, feedback could be collected through conversation and, of course, directly via online survey for the more formal collective evaluation. Furthermore, we could relay feedback in relation to how visitors experienced and negotiated the different thematic and spatial parts of Sander’s show as we spent so much time within it.
Sadly, plans to extend the exhibition evaluation placement to encompass the Imagine a Castle: Paintings from the National Gallery exhibition, which ran concurrently to Sander’s exhibition, have been curtailed for now. However, I look forward to returning to spend time with the art and interacting with exhibition audiences soon!
Many thanks to ARTIST ROOMS, the Henry Moore Foundation and The Colwinston Charitable Trust for their support of the Exhibitions Programmes at Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales.
Ian Smith - Uwch Guradur Diwydiant Modern a Chyfoes, Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau, 28 Mai 2020
Mae'n hanfodol bwysig ein bod yn parhau i aros gartref ac aros yn ddiogel yma yng Nghymru. Yn ystod wythnos y Sulgwyn mae rhai ohonoch yn gwersylla yn yr ardd neu'n mwynhau aros yn y garafán ar y dreif. Efallai bod eraill yn hiraethu am wersylla neu garafanio yn Eisteddfod yr Urdd dros y blynyddoedd, neu anturiaethau i rai o'ch hoff fannau gwyliau ar hyd ein harfordir. Felly, i’n helpu ni i gyd gydag ychydig hiraeth am wyliau wrth i ni aros gartref, dyma Ian Smith, Curadur Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau gydag ychydig o’r hanes y tu ôl i’r llun hwn:
Tynnwyd y llun hwn tua 1951. Ynddo, gwelir y teulu Dodds a oedd yn byw yng Nghaerdydd. Comisiynodd Mr Dodds y garafán ym 1950 i'w hadeiladu a'i gosod gan Louis Blow & Co yn Nhreganna, Caerdydd. Costiodd y fan £ 600.00 - ffortiwn fach yn y dyddiau hynny.
Aeth y teulu ar daith ledled De Cymru ynddi er i'r fan gael ei gadael yn barhaol ar gae ffermwr ger Casnewydd yn Sir Benfro yn y pen draw. Yno, cafodd y teulu eu holl wyliau haf tan 2009.
Y teulu creodd y cynllun a oedd yn cynnwys pethau fel top cwpwrdd arbennig y byddai crud cario'r babi yn ffitio'n berffaith iddo; gwely dwbl plygu i lawr ar gyfer Mam a Thad a sgrin rhannu derw oedd yn llithro i’w le, a oedd i bob pwrpas yn ffurfio dwy ystafell wely. Roedd cegin fach gyda stôf nwy a sinc gyda thap pwmp troed i ddarparu dŵr golchi. Roedd yn rhaid casglu dŵr yfed mewn canistr alwminiwm mawr - gwaith da i'r plant os oedd angen eu blino allan cyn mynd i’w gwely! Roedd yr adlen yn dyblu maint y lle byw ac yn darparu ardal i gadw pethau'n sych.
Yn 2009 cynigiwyd y garafán i'r amgueddfa gan Michael Dodds, a oedd erbyn hynny yn ei 70au. Mike yw'r bachgen hŷn yng nghefn y grŵp yn y llun. Mae’r garafán yn cael ei harddangos yn Amgueddfa Hanes Cenedlaethol Sain Ffagan, yn Oriel ‘Byw a Bod’.
I’m living at my home in the Vale of Glamorgan. I feel lucky it is a quiet area with lots of green space. I share my home with my two children, 11 and 7 and our two cats.
We’ve really missed our extended family but have got to know neighbours so much more. One is isolating as she is high risk so we do her shopping for her and chat over the garden fence daily which we didn’t do before when we were both busy with work and life. We’ve been having technology like Zoom and Houseparty to speak to my siblings and have done quizzes with family on there. My children have FaceTimed friends and written letters to post to them.
I’m a student nurse and so all of my lectures are now online rather than within the University Hospital Wales. It’s been difficult to concentrate at home but I couldn’t be prouder of my future occupation right now.
The children started off quite excited about the home schooling and it’s been wonderful to get to know them as learners and see where their strengths lie in an academic sense. But it’s been difficult to be around each other 24/7. They’ve missed social interactions and their girl guiding and football groups. They’ve adapted wonderfully though and understand why this is happening, but they are hopeful one day we will go back to a familiar sort of normal.
It’s very up and down. Obviously there’s a lot of anxiety, especially for those vulnerable like my parents. But I try to remain positive and enjoy this precious time with my children and the lack of consumerism. Some days it’s hard and I miss normality and my friends and family more than others.
I hope when this is all over, people spend their money in Wales. Take holidays in Wales, use local businesses and give back to those small companies who helped so much during the pandemic.
Rwy’n byw mewn fflat i'r henoed ac yn gwbl annibynnol yn fy fflat fy hunan. Mae 33 o fflatiau cyffelyb yn y bloc. Nid cartref gofal mohono. 'Does gen i ddim teulu agos yma yng Nghaerdydd, felly 'dyw'r sefyllfa honno ddim wedi newid.
'Dydw i ddim wedi gweld fy ffrindiau ers deufis. 'Dydw i ddim hyd yn oed yn gweld fy nghymdogion yn y bloc oni bai fy mod i'n digwydd taro ar eu traws yn y coridorau, neu wrth gerdded yn yr ardd. 'Dydw i ddim wedi mynd trwy glwyd y bloc fflatiau ers 21 Mawrth. Os bydda' i'n mynd allan o'r fflat, mi fydda' i'n golchi fy nwylo wedi dod nôl. 'Dydw i ddim wedi gwisgo masg o gwbl hyd yn hyn, ond efallai y gwna' i pan fydda' i'n dechrau mynd allan.
Rwy’ fwy neu lai yr un pethau ag o'r blaen, ac eithrio pethau sy'n golygu mynd allan, ond gan fod mwy o amser 'rwy'n teimlo fy mod i'n gwneud pethau yn fwy araf. Derbyn ac anfon ebyst, edrych ar y teledu, chwarae 'Patience' ar fy ffôn.
Mi fyddwn i fel rheol yn siopa mewn archfarchnad leol bob wythnos, a phrynu rhai pethau arbennig mewn siopau ynghanol y ddinas. Ond nawr 'rwy'n dibynnu ar garedigrwydd gwraig o'r capel sy'n prynu popeth drosta' i yn yr archfarchnad leol.
Mae'r pryder am y posibilrwydd o ddal y clefyd yn lleihau fel mae'r amser yn mynd heibio. Ond os yw wedi dod unwaith, oni all ddod eto, neu ryw bandemic arall? Mae hyn yn destun pryder. Ond 'rwy'n teimlo'n ddiolchgar na fu dim tebyg o'r blaen yn ystod fy mywyd.
