Pupils celebrate home in church artwork
Pupils took inspiration from the stained glass windows in their church for an artwork celebrating their sense of belonging.
The Cynefin Window was created by children at Aberdare Town Church in Wales Primary School, in partnership with local artist Judith Beecher and members of the St Elvan’s Community Heritage Trust Heritage Research Group.
The Welsh word 'Cynefin' is defined as 'the place where we feel we belong, where the people and landscape around us are familiar, and the sights and sounds are reassuringly recognisable.’
The children took photographs of significant buildings in Aberdare, to celebrate the town’s industrial past and heritage. They also created houses, from their imagination, that they would like to live in. The window emphasises the importance of protecting the environment, too, with an array of insects and animals featured in the design.
The artwork, which is on display at St Elvan's Church, is the first in a series of projects for all ages that the church is undertaking over the coming months, as part of its new Cosmos, Collieries & Cynefin project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Pen y Cymoedd Community Fund.
Fr Robert Davies, vicar in the Cynon Uchaf Ministry Area with pastoral responsibility for St Elvan’s, said, “The children have worked so hard to create a really brilliant piece of art which so beautifully ties together the faith, history and aspirations of our town.
"It has always been important to us that whilst celebrating and remembering our past, we look to, and embrace, our future. Projects like this play such an important role in that.”
Artist Judith Beecher said, “I would like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Pen Y Cymoedd Community Fund and the Shared Prosperity Fund for their support and Clare Werrett and her staff at Aberdare Town Church In Wales Primary School for their faith in our ideas.”
Clare Werrett, Headteacher at Aberdare Town Church in Wales Primary School, said, “We are so proud of our pupils who have used such creativity to produce this beautiful work of art.”
The Cynefin Window is available to view daily, Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm.