The times they are a changing....

Nothing stays the same for ever and after more than 70 years of industry, the South Wales Forgemasters closed during the summer of 2019, now demolished to make way for the new Transport for Wales Rail Hub. A child of the village with strong links to 'The Forge' I could not let this moment pass without being inspired to produce some art to bear witness to the place and its workers. So, I am currently working on various pieces, from a video of the 'last shift', to a series of portraits of Forge workers and some oil paintings exploring the environment that was inside the iconic industrial sheds that stood for so long. I will never forget attending the workers families xmas parties as a child and who of us who grew up here can ever forget the heartbeat of the village that were the great hammers that thumped away day and night. I am hoping to stage an exhibition of my work when the time is right. ie. people are comfortable going back into public places like art galleries again. It will probably be sometime in 2021. I always say, if something is worth doing, it is worth waiting for. The picture here is an oil painting of the scene, as I witnessed it on the last day, the final shift ever to be worked at the Forge.