DWEUD GRAS | SAYING GRACE. Capel y Graig 01/11/18. Fern Smith. Mae Capel y Graig yn falch iawn i groesawu Fern Smith yn ol.

“I want to say ‘Grace’ – Gracias, Grazi, Give Thanks and Gratitude. I want to say, Thank You, Merci, Danke and Diolch. I want to invite you to join me.” Fern Smith.

“Rwy’ am ddweud ‘Gras’ – Gracias, Grazi, Give Thanks a Diolchgarwch. Rwy’ am ddweud Diolch, Merci, Danke a Thank You. Rwy’ am eich gwahodd i ymuno gyda mi.” Fern Smith

‘Experiential Ritual Artist Fern Smith will talk about her work and share some of the highlights from a year-long creative collaboration with Space, Time and Synchronicity. In 2017, Fern received a Creative Wales Award from the Arts Council of Wales and became ‘artist in residence’ in a number of different venues and unusual locations all involving the number 7!
Her residencies included living alone for 7 days and nights in an empty theatre, hosting 7 ‘Conversations Before the End of Time’, guiding 7 women artists through a 7-day Rite of Passage and finishing with a 7 week-long durational art piece: ‘7 Sundays in Spring’. ‘Saying Grace’ sees Fern return to each of her four venues: Ammanford Miners Theatre, Small World Theatre, Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Capel y Graig. The return marks a completion and a closing of a year of magical thinking, being and doing.

Bydd yr Artist Profiadau Fern Smith yn siarad am ei gwaith ac yn rhannu rhai o’r uchafbwyntiau o’i blwyddyn o gydweithrediad gyda Gofod, Amser a Chydamseredd. Yn 2017, derbyniodd Fern Wobr Cymru Greadigol gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru gan ddod yn ‘artist preswyl’ mewn nifer o fannau gwahanol a lleoliadau anarferol, pob un ynghlwm â’r rhif Saith! Roedd ei chyfnodau preswyl yn cynnwys byw ar ei phen ei hun am 7 dydd a nos mewn theatr wag, cynnal 7 ‘Sgwrs Cyn Diwedd Amser’, arwain 7 artist benywaidd trwy Ddefod Drothwyol 7-niwrnod o’r enw ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ gan orffen gyda darn o gelf a barodd 7 wythnos o’r enw ‘7 Sundays in Spring’. Yn ‘Dweud Gras’, daw Fern nôl i bob un o’i phedwar man: mae’r dychweliad hwn yn nodi cyflawniad a chlo ar flwyddyn o feddwl hudolus, o fod a gwneud.
Mae gwahoddiad cynnes i chi alw draw os oeddech yn rhan o unrhyw un o’r sesiynau preswyl gwreiddiol neu os y’ch chi’n chwilfrydig am yr hyn wnaeth Fern yn ystod ei harbrawf creadigol byw dros flwyddyn o amser am y gelfyddyd o fyw mewn oes gythryblus. Bydd yn rhannu datgeliadau, sylweddoliadau a myfyrdodau, gan siarad am ei phrofiad a chynnal gofod i eraill fynegi eu profiadau nhw.

 

 

Women’s Vigil from midnight to first light’/18 – 01/04/18

’12 Women made an all-night vigil in a deconsecrated Welsh Capel awaiting the Easter dawn…

What would you stay awake for?’

 

Dyfarniadau Cymru Greadigol 2016/17 Creative Wales Awards 2016/17

‘Fern yw un o sefydlwyr Theatr Volcano, Abertawe ac mae wedi perfformio, cyfarwyddo a chynnal gweithdai ym Mhrydain a thu hwnt dros 25 mlynedd. Mae hi’n gobeithio defnyddio’i gwobr i ail-ddarganfod ei hun fel artist a datblygu iaith newydd i gyfleu ei gwaith i eraill.’ Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru

‘Fern is one of the founders of Swansea’s Volcano Theatre Company and has performed, directed and taught workshops nationally and internationally for over 25 years. Inspired by the injuries she sustained as a physical theatre practitioner, she then trained as a massage and craniosacral therapist. She seeks to re-claim a lost identity as an artist, develop a new language with which to communicate this to others and connect to a growing community of practice as a change agent and artist.’ Arts Council Wales.

‘I want to honour the significance of the passing of time between women friends and to honour the nourishment emergent meetings bring. I desire to celebrate and weave the incredible women I know together in a way which feels playful and significant. It will involve gathering 7 different circles of women to celebrate the feminine, creativity, wildness as well as the gifts and mystery inherent in all life.

Yes, this is about sisterhood. Yes, this is about “hashtag me too.” Yes, this is about identifying as women witnessing the beauty and the sorrow of this time. It’s also about honouring the fragile nature of life at a time where things and people appear to be falling apart on a daily basis.’ Fern Smith

12/11/17

 

 

 

The ceremony was lead by a group of women from Wales, Ireland, Germany, The United States and England and represents a thanksgiving or ‘giveaway’ after completing their own respective Rites of Passage ceremonies in the area throughout the preceding week. Their week long Rite of Passage entitled ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ explored identity, transformation and the power of ceremony. It was part of Creative Wales Award recipient Fern Smith’s residency at Aberystwyth Arts Centre made possible with support from Arts Council of Wales.