Tywi Valley Open Studios
27th July - 4th August 2024
1. DIETER & PHILIPPA RÄDER - BOOKBINDING
2. JUSTINE & ALAN BURGESS - WOOD
3. ANDREW DOUGLAS-FORBES - PAINTING
4. MARTIN DUFFY - SCULPTURE
5. ANGELA FARQUHARSON – SCULPTURE
6. DEBORAH SHAH-SMITH – TEXTILES
7. JANE REARDON SMITH - PAINTING
8. VIV KERSEY – DRAWING & PRINTMAKING
9. JANE EVANS - TEXTILES
10. GABRIEL HUMMERSTONE – SCULPTURE
11. SUSAN REAH – PAINTING
12. GORICA BULCOCK – PAINTING
13. ELAINE JONES – MIXED MEDIA
14. DUNCAN MACDONALD JOHNSON - PAINTING
15. CAROLE SPACKMAN - CERAMICS
16. CLAIRE SPENCER – DRAWING & PRINTMAKING
17. JACOB BUCKLAND – PAINTING
18. JONATHAN GARRARD - WOOD
19. JOHN MAYO – PAINTING
20. CERYS REES – PAINTING
21. ANDREW EVANS – PAINTING
22. JON DUDLEY - PAINTING
23. LE’FOOK – MIXED MEDIA
24. IRENE FUNNELL – GLASS
25. BRON JONES – PAINTING
26. VIVIENNE ALBISTON – CERAMICS
27. DAVID HARLAND – METAL
28. IRENE LAW – CERAMICS
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Welcome to Tywi Valley Open Studios ...........
David Harland
Artist Blacksmith
I was fairly feral as a child, roaming wherever I would over hill, stream, along coastline and cliffs but always connected in with the nature and spirit of the land. At home I would make small copper pieces hammered on the back of an axe head as an anvil and dream of changing the outhouse into a mini workshop. What started me off on my blacksmithing journey was reading a book by Michael Scott Rohan called 'The Anvil of Ice", which was all about using magic to put life and energy into forged pieces. Having failed to get into arts college in Cumbria due to my ADHD and Dyslexic brain leaving the portfolio work till the last few days. I started to follow in the tradition of the Harland family (over 100 years of it) and started an engineering course in Carlisle Tech. I got an apprenticeship at the tender age of 19 with an Italian blacksmith just outside of Oxford where I lived in a caravan and started my training. I came away from blacksmithing for a while to learning about agriculture, singing and top end audio equipment before heading back to train in Blacksmithing at the Hereford centre for rural crafts. After my course I worked for and with several blacksmiths before setting up my own forge in Bowerchalke, Wiltshire. I moved to my current forge in 2018 and am at this point allowing myself to really connect with the aspects I enjoy in blacksmithing and hope to inspire others to take their own paths with this beautiful craft.
Studio address:
Pentre
Porthrhyd
Carmarthen
Carmarthenshire
SA32 8BS
Tel: 07773420622
Email: david@davidharlandblacksmith.com
Website: www.davidharlandblacksmith.com
Directions to studio
Directions when nearer are From M4
Swansea or A48 Carmarthen you need to take the Botanical Gardens turning off the A48 and follow signs to Porthyrhyd. When you get to the junction opposite the Abadam Arms take a left turn through and out of Porthyrhyd towards Drefach B4310. Take the left turn immediately after The Mansell Arms (signposted Foelgastell) and follow the lane up until you see a fork down to the right, it’s opposite a house called Min Yr Odin and there is a car reg sign on a stone that says Cwmper. Go down that track and we are the first farmhouse you come to, you can park in the yard.
Opening times:
July 2024
Saturday 27th
Sunday 28th
Monday 29th
Tuesday 30th
Wednesday 31st
August 2024
Thursday 1st
Friday 2nd
Saturday 3rd
Sunday 4th
10am - 5pm
10am - 5pm
10am - 5pm
10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm
10am - 5pm
10am - 5pm
10am - 5pm
10am - 5pm
Workshops:
Have a bash sessions are available for free
to make a nail hook in the forge but are only available only if there is not a lesson booked at that time.
During the week I will be offering 1 hour
lessons for £50, to avoid disappointment and ensure you get a time that is
suitable to you give me a call on 07773420622 to book an hours Blacksmithing lesson.
I can teach a maximum of two people in
the forge at one time.
These sessions will be available between
10 and 5 during the Tywi Arts Trail.
My lessons are available on my website. where you can book a session
before or after the
Tywi arts trail.