Former Students of Swansea College of Art Return to Their Roots at the Urdd Eisteddfod
Firmly rooted in the locality of this year’s Eisteddfod, as they live and have been educated in the area, Tomos and Owain Sparnon feel very grateful for the opportunities they had through the Urdd and The Ҵý’s Swansea College of Art.. Both are currently using those experiences to contribute back to the creative community that nurtured them. From adjudicating and curating to raising money and supporting young artists, they are actively contributing to a festival which has been a milestone in their personal and professional development.
Both have been extremely successful over the years. Tomos was the winner of the Urdd Eisteddfod Art Medal in Caerphilly in 2015, and the winner of the Young Artist Scholarship in the Urdd Eisteddfod at Bridgend in 2017. Owain succeeded in winning second place in the Art Medal competition in the Urdd Eisteddfod at Bridgend in 2017 and at Builth Wells in 2018, and he came third in the Young Artist Scholarship competition in the Carmarthenshire Eisteddfod in 2023.
During their period of study in Swansea Art College, Tomos and Owain had exceptional opportunities to engage directly with the Urdd Eisteddfod, by adjudicating competitions, curating exhibitions, holding workshops for young people, contributing to events in the media and cooperating with a network of artists throughout Wales. These experiences, which were supported by the College’s ethos of professional practice and community cooperation, have paved the way for their continued success.
Both are amazed each year at the standard of the art, craft, design and technology competitions in the Eisteddfod and they are looking forward to seeing this year’s works being exhibited on the Eisteddfod field. Both know from experience that exhibiting art work in a location where thousands of people will see the work is an incredible opportunity for any young artist.
Tomos has been the Chair of the Urdd Art Panel for a year and a half, leading on key aspects of the competitions, themes and rules. He said:
“As someone who was raised in the area and has competed in several art competitions over the years, it is an honour to be the Chair of the Art Panel. I’m very grateful for the opportunities I had through the Urdd and it is great to be able to give something back to this special organisation.”
Owain is a member of the local Art committee and the Executive Committee, and he has already contributed as one of the adjudicators for the Young Artist Scholarship and the Art Medal.
Owain also had the honour of being commissioned to create a special painting which responds to the Welcome Song of Eisteddfod “Dur a Môr” by Huw Chiswell and Bronwen Lewis – a piece that was sold in an auction to raise money for the festival. He said:
“I was delighted to have the opportunity to create an artwork in response to the welcome song for ‘Dur a Môr.’ The work is not a literal response, and I was keen for the painting to reflect my usual art work. I chose words that attracted me, for example ‘mwg’ (smoke), ‘llwch’ (dust), ‘copr gloyw’ (shining copper), ‘cochni’r machlud’ (redness of the sunset), ‘toeon llwydion’ (grey roofs), ‘afonydd glo’ (rivers of coal) and ‘traethau gwyn’ (white beaches). I also wanted to express the energy of the words, as well as the references to ‘esgyn’ (ascending). Knowing that the work would be exhibited and raise money to support the Eisteddfod made the experience even more special.”
Owain has also been invited by Y Stamp magazine to create artwork for the work brochures of the main literary winners of the Dur a Môr Eisteddfod according to the procedure established last year of inviting a local artist from the area of the Eisteddfod to undertake the work. If there are worthy winners, Owain will respond visually to the winning pieces of the Drama Medal, Crown and Chair competitions, and the works will appear on the covers of the pamphlets.
Both of them have enjoyed being involved in arrangements to raise money in the area – creating art works to sell, organising an art exhibition, and they also now know how to organise coffee mornings! Owain said:
“It is great to see the enthusiasm in the area and to know that more competitors than ever have registered this year.”
Tomos works as an artist from his studio in the garden, and has been concentrating over recent years on creating a new body of work in the hope of exhibiting it at sometime. He hopes to follow a teaching practice course in September to train as an art teacher, and is looking forward to that. His aim is to transfer his passion for art to the pupils, and to see new and young artists developing.
Owain has a studio in Elysium, Swansea, where he works on his art every week. He also works as a Graphic Design Officer for the National Centre for Learning Welsh, and enjoys that greatly. Undoubtedly his art work feeds into his work with the Centre, and the work for the Centre feeds into his art work. It is a good balance.
Gwenllian Beynon, Programme Director at Swansea College of Art said:
“We in Swansea College of Art are very proud to see Tomos and Owain Sparnon so active with the Urdd this year. Both have had much success in the Urdd in the past, winning various art prizes. Also as students here both worked on curating the Art, Design and Technology exhibition in the Urdd. It is great to see all these opportunities developing to be so industrious for the Arts in the Urdd this year.”
Further Information
Lowri Thomas
Principal Communications and PR Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: lowri.thomas@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07449 998476