River of Slate

Howard Bowcott invited me to his workshop to see the final touches to the giant jigsaw, the River of Slate. River  - because that’s how all the sediment gets washed down to create the mudstone which morphs into slate. River - because the Dwyryd was where the slate used to be boated out to the waiting ships.

This stunning work will soon be in the centre of town for people to walk on. What sacrilege! I hope they take off their shoes.

Here’s Howard busy with the slate:

Art on the line

Howard Bowcott

It’s not unusual when friends come to stay to take a walk to the pub. But with it being so hot, and someone’s ankle playing up, we chose the easy option; a down train to Tan y Bwlch then an open carriage to Blaenau. Newspapers bought we admired the new sculptures. Howard, the artist, was experimenting with finishes to bring out the colour and texture of the slate. The Queen’s Hotel, newly painted and renamed Ty Orsaf, is looking smart and recruiting staff. Someone said the downhill biking above Llechwedd was sold out for the second weekend in a row. The times they are a changing. Back on the train, coasting down to Campbell’s Platform, with a bottle of Purple Moose ... so much more than a walk to the pub.

Our Angel of the North?

11^th July 2012 and the crane was hoisting the final components on top of the sail shape, slate sculptures. Will this be our ‘Angel of the North’? 

Howard checks the alignment

The project is generating a lot of interest – while I was filming I got talking to a couple on their first visit in thirty years. They could not believe how much things had changed and said they would be back next year to see the sculptures unveiled from their scaffold.

  

Changing face of Blaenau Ffestiniog

The big crane was in the station car park today hoisting massive chunks of slate sculpture into position. Using block tackles the first piece was tilted to just the right angle then lowered through the scaffolding, around the concrete reinforcing rods and onto its plinth. Precision work. Larger pieces followed and the work is rising out of the ground. I'll be back in late July to see the final pieces go on top. Below is a film clip of this stage. Earlier stages of the project can be seen in The Workshop and at the Station Entrance.