Alison Richards
Alison has worked in the visual arts all her life. She learned how to throw a pot at school; from then on, she was hooked!
After juggling family and a teaching career, she was able, in 2005, to build a ceramics studio.
In 2014 Alison began an art collaboration with Rob Taylor; ARRT (Alison Richards and Rob Taylor). This collaboration has produced art works that have found a home world-wide.
Through ARRT/ARRTDUO Alison has worked as a potter, fused glass artist, wood worker, silversmith and even dabbled in bronze casting! She and Rob have held many exhibitions, workshops. They have been commissioned to make public and private work, the latest being a Covid Memorial for the townspeople of Merthyr Tydfil.
Rob Taylor
I write poetry that tells stories about the world I live in, about the things that excite me and that concern me.
I combined this with making in 2011, I see the objects I make as poetry in 3D; the words and the artwork dance together.
I work in collaboration with a ceramicist “Alison Richards”, we work together as ARRTDUO. (www.arrtduo.com)
I primarily work in kiln formed glass and wood, but as a duo we are multi-media, making in glass, wood, ceramic, bronze and silver. Each piece is conjoined with a piece of poetry.
WORDS TAKE SHAPE ……. SHAPES TELL STORIES
The world is an exciting and vibrant place. It sometimes disappoints me; at other times it enriches me. There are sad scary bits, incredible exhilarating bits, catastrophes, miracles, things of beauty and of ugliness; they all inspire me to tell their story. Climate change is becoming a predominant theme in my artwork; as the most important challenge we all face.
For me telling stories through making is an amazing experience, everything I make is a revelation, I am always astonished at how it turns out. Making is a journey filled with wonder and surprises and I travel in a state of excited curiosity in anticipation of where it will lead me.
How can I not do it!?
ARRTDUO’s Activity Timeline
Permanent exhibition work.
August 2019 has been our busiest month so far. We made and exhibited 28 large glass masks for ‘Global Village’. The inspiration for the masks came from every continent of the world.
August 2019. Art trail of glass masks in: ‘The New Crown’,’ High Street Baptist Church Hall’, ‘The Travel Shop’, ‘Tydfil Training’, ‘Portugalis, Woodfired, Redhouse and The Library Merthyr Tydfil’. Retrieved 2023 and exhibited on the Gallery Wall in the Bothy, Cyfarthfa Park, Merthyr Tydfil.
Pop up exhibitions.
Our version is that we just pop up in a place or at an event. We talk about / exhibit /spruik our work and read poetry, we do this for a few hours, a single day (or two or three). We are always present, to have a conversation with the viewer and to listen to their feedback.
July 2014 Outdoor exhibition in an open garden as part of the Rhiwbina Festival Cardiff. Artists present their work and discuss with the audience.
Sept 2014 Pop up Dowlais Historical Society open door weekend. Artists present their work and discuss with the audience.
Oct 2014 Pop up exhibition at Canolfan Zoar in conjunction with the WEA lecture program including poetry reading and discussion.
Nov 2014 Presentation of artwork and discussion with members of the Sirolli business development group.
Nov 2014 Merthyr Heritage Conference, pop up exhibition and poetry readings, presentation and discussion of their work.
Nov 2014 Merthyr Business Club, pop up exhibition and poetry readings
June 2015 Return to Merthyr Business Club, invited for pop up and poetry reading.
June 2016 Return to Open Garden in Rhiwbina Festival Cardiff
June 2017 Return to Open Garden in Rhiwbina Festival Cardiff
April 2018 Spread The Word Book Festival Merthyr Tydfil
June 2018 Return to Open Garden in Rhiwbina Festival Cardiff
Sept 2018 Pop-up in Dowlais Library Open Doors Merthyr Tydfil
January 2019 Poetry reading with pieces Writers Group, Hortons Cafe, Newport (twice more in 2019)
June 2019 Return to Open Garden in Rhiwbina Festival Cardiff
Workshops.
Sept 2014 Workshop Redhouse Merthyr Tydfil, working with students from Merthyr College.
Nov 2015 Gallery Exhibition Workshop Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr Tydfil open public workshop showing our art and poetry and how poetry and art can combine.
Dec 2015 Fused Glass Workshop, Glass Studio, inexperienced in art, the attendees made simple glass artefacts.
Dec 2016 Fused Glass Workshop, Glass Studio, was made open to a wider group of novices in fused glass.
June 2017 School Fused Glass Workshop London, with six-year-old children who designed and made glass animal artwork pictures based on the story of The Elephant’s Child by Rudyard Kipling.
April 2017 Clay and Poetry Workshop Cyfarthfa Park, Merthyr Tydfil
Nov 2017 Christmas Fused Glass Workshop well attended by a diverse and keen group of people, Merthyr Tydfil
April 2018 Clay and Glass Workshop Cyfarthfa Park, Merthyr Tydfil
August 2018 Fused Glass WWI Workshop St Woolos Hall, Newport
November 2018 Fused Glass WWI Workshop Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr Tydfil
November 2018 All age Christmas Fused Glass Workshops The Bothy, Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr Tydfil
August 2019 WWI Fused Glass Workshop Cyfarthfa Castle Merthyr Tydfil
January/February 2019 Three WWI Fused Glass Workshops Riverfront Theatre, Newport
June 2019 All age Mask Making Workshop the Bothy, Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr Tydfil
August 2019 All age Mask Making Workshop ‘Global Village’ Merthyr Tydfil town centre
Nov 2019 Christmas Fused Glass Workshop the Bothy Cyfarthfa Castle Merthyr Tydfil
Feb 2020 Glass Quilt Making Workshop, Cefn Coed.
Sept 2020 – Dec 2024 Workshops in the Bothy Cyfarthfa Park Merthyr Tydfil Fused Glass and Silver
Exhibitions
Jan Feb Mar 2015 Exhibition in the gallery at Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil, with poetry readings
Jun 2014 Exhibition in St Mary’s Church, Stoke Newington, London, with poetry readings and guided tours.
August to Nov 2015 Exhibition of our work with poetry readings at Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery Merthyr Tydfil
February to March 2016 Exhibition of our work at Pierhead Building Cardiff Bay
July 2016 Exhibition St Johns Wood Church, London with poetry readings/guided tours – (groups of 5 and 6-year-olds and one 90 year old.)
Nov 2016 Exhibition & Poetry: Merthyr Town Football Club.
June 2017 Return Exhibition & Poetry: St Johns Wood Church, St Johns Wood, London.
2017 April mini exhibition Denubious Hotel St Johns Wood, London.
2017 April mini exhibition St Johns Wood Medical Practice London.
Dec 17 Jan 2018 Exhibition & Poetry: Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery Merthyr Tydfil
Sept – Nov 2018 WWI Commemoration Exhibition St Woolos Cathedral Newport
January – … 2019 Exhibition & Poetry Art Gallery & Cafe Riverfront Theatre, Newport
August 2019 Installation of ‘An Outline of Peace’, and exhibition Cyfarthfa Castle Merthyr Tydfil
Oct/Nov 2019 ‘ We make Art too’ Contemporary Arts Society for Wales, Barry
February 2020 Joint Exhibition Welsh Centre, Camden London
2018 – 2021 (Covid Lockdown) Rolling program of pieces exhibited in St Woolos Cathedral Newport
March 2023 Pioneering Women of Merthyr Tydfil Joint Exhibition with Members of Creative Hub Cyfarthfa Museum Merthyr Tydfil.
Public Commissions
2016′ From Supporters Hand’ sculpture and poem commissioned by Merthyr Tydfil Football Club.
2018 ‘An Outline of Peace’ workshops, artwork and installation commissioned by St Woolos Cathedral, Newport.
2019 ‘Global Village Masks’ 27 Glass masks and poems commissioned by Global Village Merthyr Tydfil.
2019 ‘Fused Glass Quilt’ workshop with youngsters from Princes Trust
Artists in Residences
2017…..Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery
2018…St Woolos Cathedral, Newport
Competitions
April 2021 won a Covid Memorial Competition to design and make an external Covid Memorial for Merthyr Tydfil Well Being Trust
Other Events
Mar 2015 Recorded poetry in recording studios with drama students from Merthyr College.
May 2015 Published book of poetry illustrated with images of our artwork.
Sept 2015 Conversation about our art how it is re-inventing us and is part of the re-invention of Merthyr Tydfil with BBC radio 4 “The Listening Project”.
Oct 2015 Broadcast as guests of Nicola Heywood Thomas on The Art Show BBC Radio Wales.
Nov 2015 -2018 Sculpture placement in the Welsh Assembly Government Building. change pieces every two or three months.
Feb 2016 Broadcast conversation ‘ The Listening Project’ on the Roy Noble Show BBC Radio Wales
Apr 2016 Presentation on ARRT inspiration and mission to Friends of Cyfarthfa Museum & Art Gallery Merthyr Tydfil Show pieces & Read poetry
May 2016 Hay on Wye Festival Sculpture, presentation and poetry reading.
Feb 2017 Presentation about ARRTDUO to The Ladies Guild, Newport
Aug 2018 Presentation to congregation about WWI in St Woolos Cathedral, Newport
Sept 2018 Installation St Woolos Cathedral Newport
Sept 2018 South Wales Argos Article about the installation in St Woolos Cathedral, Newport
August 2020 Merthyr Express article “Cyfarthfa artists’ innovative bronzes conjure up a slice of Merthyr History” Merthyr Tydfil
March 2022 Community Covid Memorial Christ Church Cyfarthfa Merthyr Tydfil
October 2022 ‘Tom’ Commemorated the signing of the armistice marking the end of WW1 Cyfarthfa Castle
Future events agreed
June 2021 Exhibition Cyfarthfa Castle Merthyr Tydfil (Covid Lockdown prevented this exhibition from happening)
October 2023 Joint exhibition with Creative Hub ‘Valleys Retold’ (a collaboration with National Museum of Wales) Norwegian Church Cardiff Bay
Professional Development
August 2016 Bronze casting course, New British Art Carmarthen
2017/18 Silversmith Course, Cardiff
2019/2020 Welding Course Merthyr Tydfil
March 2022 Glass Jewellery Course Stoke Newington London
May 2022 Silversmith Course Nr Taunton Somerset
Ongoing lectures provided by CASW in Cardiff
Artists Statement
Alison Richards and Rob Taylor are two Merthyr Tydfil artists whose work is rooted in the story telling tradition and its link to community, culture, heritage and the wider human condition.
Each piece tells a story that is illustrated by poetry. It is contemporary art that re-discovers the links between physical form and story-telling from the roots of ancient cultures.
WORDS TAKE SHAPE
SHAPES TELL STORIES
The sculptures are made in ceramic, glass and wood; substances that create, or are born from fire, reflecting Merthyr Tydfil’s history as the crucible of the world’s industrial revolution and the rich bronze age community that was present in pre-history.
The work is varied, exciting and dynamic; it changes the space it is in, adding depth, emotion and interest.
Alison and Rob said, “We believe art is about, telling stories and connecting with people, but doing it through objects that have beauty and presence; that emotionally speak to the viewer” “We are also are passionate about taking our work to non-traditional locations so it is seen by a wider audience, we show our work in churches, outside spaces, business locations, non-art based societies, and government/civic buildings”.
The artists actively work at providing workshop activities and interacting with their audience, they actively encourage comments about their work, are present at their exhibitions to explain it and to have conversations with their audience.
The artists work in collaboration from two different studios in Merthyr Tydfil producing bespoke work that enhances space and tells a story.
They are Artists In Residence in Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery, Merthyr Tydfil.