Rhymney Valley schoolchildren celebrate their local area in art exhibition

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Schoolchildren in the Rhymney Valley had their work exhibited as part of an ‘artistic celebration’ of their local community.

The ‘Rhymney Our Valley’ exhibition encouraged students to create artwork about what they like about their natural environment and their lives.

The exhibition was held at the Winding House museum in New Tredegar between January 22 and February 3.

There were more than 80 pieces on display from the five schools that signed up – Upper Rhymney, Idris Davies School, Fochriw Primary, White Rose Primary and Phillipstown Primary.

Fran Quantock, museums officer at the Winding House, told Caerphilly Observer about the exhibition. 

Fran said: “Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Arts Service put out an appeal to schools in the Upper Rhymney Valley looking for children to take part in an artistic celebration of the area, focusing on things they like about their local area.”

Many children celebrated the environment with lots of green hills, trees, fields, and of course, rugby posts.

There was also an emphasis on community in the artwork. Fran said: “There is loads of celebration of friends, of school and teachers.”

The schoolchildren had help creating their artwork from artist Kate Verity, who went into the schools and taught them various techniques, including watercolouring. 

There is hope that the children who participated will also receive art supplies to keep their creativity going. 

The ground floor gallery in the Winding House, which displayed the art, is a “community resource” with a rolling art programme, according to Fran. 

“We show a mixture of people who exhibit professionally, as well as amateurs, community groups and then groups with children as well.”

A previous exhibition showed children’s work celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 and later this year an artist who has been featured in the Contemporary Welsh Artist Exhibition in Tenby will be featured. 

It is possible that the ‘Rhymney Our Valley’ exhibition will be displayed elsewhere but it is unlikely to be in full, according to Fran. 

“Caerphilly libraries might want to have them,” said Fran, “there are other opportunities, like in Blackwood Miners where they’ve got an exhibition space, but they’re much smaller.”

The Winding House is open Tuesdays to Fridays from 10am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 11am to 4pm.