Community Artwork
School children carving stones
Local communities and schools have been engaged in developing Community artworks in close proximity to the route of the cycleway. The unique artworks placed along the National Cycle Route have been designed to reflect the uniqueness and heritage of their particular village as part of the Loops and Links project.
In order to consult with groups and develop themes and ideas for the artwork a number of workshops were run with both schools and adults. Artist Michael Disley worked with local school children to carve stones, which the schools have kept.
Based on the imagery and comments from the workshops and historical research, the artist devised three design options for a main sculpture in a number of villages that would accompany 3 stone seats. These designs were passed onto local schools and communities to vote for a favourite. Most designs have now been chosen, a few have been installed on the route and the remainder are currently being sculptured.
To find out more about the Loops and Links Community Artwork please download a copy of the Linking Your Communities: A Commemorative Book (4.65 Mb .pdf)
Artwork proposals
Choose to view a village by clicking the tab below, move your mouse towards each design to view a larger version of each sketch.
All design options are shown below. Guess which design won?
The designs are centred on the canal, the local villages and the flood of 1875.
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Design 1 depicts water flowing through the nearby villages and is representative of the nearby canal.
Design 2 again depicts the water flowing through the villages, but is more representative of the night of the disaster. The force and flow of the water washed properties and trees away.
Design 3 shows the villages on a boat/barge floating along the canal.All design options are shown below. Guess which design won?
The artist has taken inspiration from the history of the area e.g. the river and the Mill.
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Design 1, ‘Baptism in the Mountains’ depicts a baptism-taking place in the Nant Draenog. The whole design is framed by an image of the mountain itself.
Design 2, ‘The Flannel Mill’ shows an image of the flannel mill with a large wheel, standing on a second stone with flowing water carved into it.
Design 3, ‘Baptism in the Brook’ shows a figure about to perform a baptism in the Nant Draenog.All design options are shown below. Guess which design won?
The designs for Maesycwmmer incorporate the Viaduct and the Woollen Mill.
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Design 1 shows a stylised sheep standing on top of the viaduct.
Design 2 shows the viaduct with a train running across it, beneath and carved in relief sheep can be seen cycling through the valley.
Design 3 depicts two sheep standing on top of the viaduct knitting.All design options are shown below. Guess which design won?
The three designs depict aspects of Nelson’s history. The artist has combined ‘railways’ and ‘Nelson’ in an imaginative way.
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Design 1, ‘Nelson’s Train’ depicts a stone train carved with Nelson as its driver. This sculpture would be sited in front on the line of benches creating an image of a train pulling wagons. The granite tops on benches suggest coal in the wagons.
Design 2, ‘The Boy Nelson’ is a humorous piece showing Nelson as a boy. He is seen leapfrogging a train with Nelson inscribed into the front of the engine.
Design 3, ‘Nelson’s Hat’ has Nelson’s head and shoulders to provide the framework for the piece. Nelson’s hat echoes the shapes of the hills around Nelson and a train can be seen running along its edges.All design options are shown below. Guess which design won?
The designs are based around the mines situated within the area, showing miners at work and travelling down the colliery face.
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Design 1 depicts a cage full of miners travelling down into the mine.
Design 2 shows a miner at the bottom of the mineshaft at work drilling.
Design 3 depicts the village of Wattsville at the top of the sculpture with a band of bas-relief carving along the base of the stone showing a miner at work.All design options are shown below. Guess which design won?
For the Ynysddu design, the artist used a poem by Rev. William Thomas who is known as ‘The Poet Islwyn.’ The poem used was “Early and Late Trains.”
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Design 1 shows a train and cart, together with a figure on top of the cart reading. The stone below has an inscription from the poem.
Design 2 uses an image of the mountain to frame images carved on either side. One side shows a figure leaning against some trees. The other side depicts the railway and river. The stone below quotes from the poem.
Design 3 shows a figure in a rail cart leaning against some books. The stone beneath has lines from the poem carved into it.