Artist Statement

My work seeks to explore and celebrate ordinary people’s lives. In depicting local people’s stories, memories, community spirit and culture, my work aims to act as a storyteller of the past and the present, sparking a sense of nostalgia, pride, and well-being in both its viewers and contributors. It is my belief that the kindest, most hard-working people in our communities are rarely celebrated in the way that they deserve. Through the use of illustration, textiles, and multimedia techniques, I aim to produce tactile and, consequently, accessible pieces, and wish to celebrate diversity in our communities. Alongside my work as an artist, I am a Creative Arts Practitioner, facilitating therapeutic arts workshops for people of all ages and backgrounds who have a range of mental health challenges and additional needs.

For this exhibition, I have created a fabric scrapbook inspired by the people and community spirit of Pontypridd and Pontypridd Museum. The stories are a direct reflection of those shared with me on local, Pontypridd community social media groups during lockdown. In-keeping with the theme of the Museum in its reflection on the past, I wanted to create a tactile piece, accessible to everyone of all ages and abilities, depicting stories that celebrated Pontypridd as told by the locals themselves. This piece calls for participation through vision, touch, smell, and audio, to immerse the viewer in a nostalgic and fun-filled reading journey. Alongside the scrapbook, I have included a Cloth Doll Making Tutorial Booklet for those of you who wish to recreate your very own ‘Ponty Local’. Follow hashtags #fabricoflife and #ourpontypastandpeople on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and share your ‘Ponty Local’! Alternatively, you can e-mail me at havardjonesartist@yahoo.com for your chance to inspire the next chapter in the scrapbook!