Codi Pais Codi Pontydd

This is an exciting, collaborative project led by the young female collective Codi Pais (Lowri Ifor, Casi Wyn and Manon Dafydd) and the artists Hannah and Jasmine Cash which brings together art, dance and words. During July 2020 a series of inspiring creative workshops that lead towards an exhibition, a magazine and various performances within Pontio’s public spaces. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the workshops were held online online and the works will lead to the next issue of Codi Pais at the end of the summer.

Hopefully, when we re-open Pontio’s doors we’ll be able to showcase the work then! Read on for further information on the workshops, who’s part of the project and a video of the workshops by Hannah Cash.

Workshops

At 2.30pm in July we brought a series of workshops for women aged 16-25 through the medium of Welsh. Led by Lowri, Casi, Manon, Hannah and Jasmine with art, dance, writing and editing workshops.

Workshop 1 - Art Workshop - Collage, led by Manon Dafydd

Manon Dafydd is and artist from Y Felinheli in North Wales and is one of the three editors for Codi Pais, where she is also responsible for design. Using skills developed from the Graphic Design course at Central Saint Martins in London, Manon creates beautiful and attractive works for each issue, which celebrates the creativity of Welsh women and Welsh women across the globe.

Manon likes to experiment with many mediums. Fond of creating simple images from wild flowers, using watercolours and biro. She also creates many collage pieces, reusing old photographs and pages from old magazines, newspapers, pamphlets and so on, to create new artworks.

Collage was the main focus of the art workshop. Not everyone is comfortable creating, but the hope is that collage is a good place as any to start. Instead of worrying too much about the final piece following the workshop, Manon gave those who took part the opportunity to express their freedom and to feel confident when experimenting, but most of all, to enjoy the process of creating.

Instagram: @mansiporffor

Workshop 2 - Dance Workshop led by Hannah and Jasmine Cash

Hannah and Jasmine Cash work as artists in North Wales. Their collaboration explores their relationship between drawing, choreography, sculptures and film. By looking at film like a collage, they attempt to create an abstract narrative, exploring the physical relationship between different environments, situations and actions.

The films will be shown in a series of collections formed from industrials materials and mass products to build attractive environments. The playful atmosphere is created for the artist and audience by exploring the limits of the body, the materials and the space around them.

The workshop will explored one way documentation through film and photography. There was no need for any experience in dance to take part only an interest in movement, film, photography or art. Beginning with a continuous line, Hannah and Jasmine showed how to create a short continuing movement that you can document.

Instagram: @hannah_cash

Workshop 3 - Writing workshop led by Casi Wyn

Casi Wyn has a passion for writing poems, songs and short stories since she can remember. Recently, her interest and passion towards the visual and the melody fuse together beautifully with the urge to create films, her first film ‘Robin Goch’ with S4C and BBC Cymru was released last year. Her music fidio “Aderyn” was nominated in the National British Animation Awards.

Casi lead a talk with poet Caryl Bryn, discussing her recent book ‘Hwn yw’r llais, tybad’ and the themes arising from the poems that recently won Wales’ Book of the Year Prize.

Workshop 4 - Summary and Editing Workshop led by Lowri Ifor

Having lived and worked in Oxford and London, Lowri Ifor now lives in Caernarfon. Previously, she has worked as a teacher and a children’s book editor, but now works in the heritage industry. She is one of the three editors of the book-magazine Codi Pais and focusing on proofreading and editing each issue. As part of the team, she works to create a platform for the creativeness of Welsh women and create an issue that is interesting to read and visually for all to enjoy.

The final workshop was a chance for everyone to share and discuss their work in a safe and supportive environment, and also a discussion of the process of editing and curate creative work. Each participator could bring any finished work or any work in progress to the session, or to be an observer.

The culmination of these workshops was an issue of Codi Pais: Pontydd (bridges) as well as an exhibition at Pontio. Here is a short film that takes you through the exhibition as it's not possible for you to visit us at this time.