Dinas Brân Byd o Liw

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-Of all the castles in Wales...

-..this is the most difficult

-to reach.

-It's a strenuous task to climb this

-mountain to reach Dinas Bran Castle.

-Someone would need a good reason...

-..to come here to paint a picture.

-Most views of the castle

-have been painted...

-..from the town below.

-You can see the castle

-from Llangollen.

-Dinas Bran was built in 1270

-by Prince Gruffydd ap Madog.

-Seven years later...

-..the castle

-was deliberately set alight...

-..before Edward I captured it.

-In 1770, Welshman Richard Wilson

-painted a picture of the castle.

-He was the father of the British

-landscape painting tradition.

-In Wilson's day, the idea was

-to create a classic landscape...

-..which appealed to sponsors.

-The castle is a dramatic focal point

-in this painting.

-The way he uses light

-behind the castle...

-..reflects the drama

-in the painting.

-There's an element of drama

-in the weather.

-Wilson has painted trees

-on both sides...

-..to create a theatrical effect.

-This was part of the tradition

-at the time.

-Wilson also includes people

-in the painting.

-The people are busy doing something

-in the painting.

-When people see the painting

-for the first time...

-..they can talk about

-the characters.

-The way Wilson uses the language

-of artists is very interesting.

-He combines everything

-to create a splendid painting.

-Two artists will create

-new interpretations of the castle...

-..as seen in the historic painting.

-The first artist is Dewi Tudur.

-He is originally from Mold.

-Dewi is an Art teacher.

-He works in a cinematic form,

-creating distinctive paintings.

-The colours are intense and rich.

-You work with pencils and pens.

-You draw very detailed sketches.

-My work is very graphical.

-Lines have always appealed to me,

-particularly concise lines.

-There's a lot of drama in your work.

-I like the action and amusement

-followed by peace and tranquillity.

-I'm trying to recreate

-that atmosphere in my work.

-I'm finding it difficult to work out

-what aspects appeal to you.

-This is a challenge for you.

-In a way, it is a challenge.

-There's a cluster of trees

-down there.

-Since my childhood...

-..I've been attracted to trees.

-Their shape - they're so maternal...

-..so welcoming, so comfortable.

-The trees have a woolly texture

-and yet, a few yards away...

-..we have this solid structure...

-..stones which have been here

-for centuries.

-There is mellowness and comfort

-in the valley.

-A primitive atmosphere

-surrounds this castle.

-It's quite chilling.

-Wilson was familiar with this church

-in a quiet village near Machynlleth.

-Wilson was born here in Penegoes,

-in 1713.

-His father was the local rector.

-He was a talented artist. In London,

-he trained as a portrait artist.

-He started his career

-in the capital city...

-..an exciting place

-for a young artist.

-In 1750, Wilson left his studio

-in Covent Garden...

-..and travelled to Italy.

-Wilson spent six years in Italy.

-It was a time when landscapes...

-..which showed temples and other

-classic images, were popular.

-These paintings,

-and the work of Claude Lorrain...

-..greatly influenced him.

-Our second artist, Eleri Mills,

-has chosen to work in a field...

-..on the slopes opposite the castle.

-Her work portrays the narrative

-of the landscape...

-..near her home in the Banw Valley.

-Her work is influenced by the

-mythology and soul of rural Wales.

-She's chosen a location similar

-to the one taken by Wilson...

-..for his painting.

-What strikes me is the physical

-connection she has with her work...

-..to measure perspective.

-I wanted to know what appealed

-to her about this scene.

-This angle is rather dramatic.

-We're at the same level

-as the castle.

-I'm very fond

-of the zigzag shape...

-..of the path that leads

-up to the castle.

-We've created a kind of window...

-..to look through the void

-at the subject.

-The light is poor today - nothing

-stands out. It's quite neutral.

-It's hard

-for an artist to deal with this.

-It's a bit quaint today, isn't it?

-Nothing stands out dramatically.

-In a way, that limits

-the different elements.

-And it limits the problems.

-You're using charcoal today.

-What is the idea

-behind this picture?

-Using charcoal

-is a very direct method.

-I like it,

-I draw quickly when I use it.

-You can move things around...

-..by rubbing the charcoal

-across the paper...

-..using my fingers and an eraser.

-The layers of the landscape

-are interesting.

-You can read the landscape

-from any number of perspectives.

-From a geographical perspective

-an artistic perspective...

-..and a political perspective -

-it's a lauded location.

-Dewi has moved to a location...

-..where he can view

-the expanse of the Dee Valley.

-Botanic features

-have attracted his attention...

-..more than the castle's structure.

-In 1756, Richard Wilson

-returned from Rome.

-When Wilson returned to London...

-..there was a market

-for his romantic landscapes.

-Sir Watkin Williams Wynne was one

-of Wilson's most important sponsors.

-He bought a large number

-of his paintings...

-..including a portrait

-of the artist himself.

-Williams Wynne was one

-of Britain's wealthiest noblemen.

-He supported the work

-of Welsh artists.

-I wonder if Dewi

-appreciates Wilson's work.

-What strikes me immediately is the

-calm that emanates from his work.

-There is calm in the work

-of many romantic artists.

-The background gradually emerges

-from a dark foreground.

-He is very romantic

-in the way he works...

-..but there is also

-a sinister aspect to his work.

-Tranquillity is sinister -

-I'm very fond of tranquillity.

-There are tranquil elements

-to my work....

-..but it can strike fear

-into people.

-Wilson also painted other castles...

-..including Dolbadarn,

-Caernarfon and Pembroke.

-In these paintings, Wilson

-illustrated his love for Wales.

-He expressed his vision

-of the Welsh Golden Age.

-Eleri has moved to the foot

-of the mountain.

-She's working in a panoramic format.

-Is this how her completed work

-will look?

-I wanted to know more about

-her feelings towards the castle.

-It's a breathtaking location.

-It appeals to me as a Welsh person.

-This location conveys

-a very strong message...

-..which stretches back

-for centuries.

-Even though we're now looking

-at the ruins...

-..you can sense a certain aura

-about the location.

-Some people have a problem with

-the whole idea of castles in ruins.

-I think Welsh artists

-have a duty and a role...

-..not only to look back

-over centuries past...

-..but also to promote Wales

-and its prestige beyond Wales.

-Dinas Bran's historical significance

-is evident in Dewi's work.

-This was my intention here.

-I wanted to adapt the trees

-to create...

-..a garrison marching over the hill.

-I wanted to transform the bushy

-trees into something more sinister.

-We're in an area which has

-such a primitive character.

-We're very aware that at one time

-people were here...

-..during a precarious period.

-History surrounds us.

-We need the artist's imagination

-to reveal it.

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-Richard Wilson was an important man

-in the London art world.

-With Joshua Reynolds, he established

-the Royal Academy in Piccadilly.

-He'd reached the pinnacle

-of his career as an artist.

-Back in Llangollen, I'm enjoying

-the acrobatics on the bridge!

-These boys are huge fans

-of Richard Wilson.

-Maybe not! But I'm pretty sure

-Eleri is a real fan.

-I'm very fond

-of Richard Wilson's work.

-I think he's an eminent artist.

-He inspired a revolution...

-In the art world.

-He changed people's perception

-of art.

-What gives me a thrill is the fact

-that he deals with Wales...

-..in such a remarkable way.

-He has an understanding of Wales.

-His work is filled with emotion.

-He was raised

-surrounded by these landscapes.

-There's a poetic element

-in his work.

-The composition of his work

-is always so dexterous.

-He evaluates a scene

-and then recreates it...

-..in such a balanced manner.

-It's excellent.

-But there is mystery in the tree

-beyond the bridge.

-It appears that his inspiration

-for this painting...

-..came from this painting

-of Tivoli in Italy.

-This landscape is very similar

-to his landscape of Dinas Bran.

-It is likely

-that these are Italian women.

-Under infra-red light...

-..you can see a Catholic altar

-beneath the paint in the background.

-Wilson was content

-to recycle his work.

-In his studio in Llanrwst...

-..Dewi has started painting.

-He works in a calligraphic manner.

-See how he uses his brush to respond

-to the fluid state of the paint.

-Watercolour paper allows him

-to raise the paint off the surface.

-It reveals

-the layers of colour underneath.

-I've included the primary colours.

-The dark colour represents the

-castle and the dominant stone walls.

-This has worked well for me.

-I wanted some light

-in the background.

-It reminds me

-of a lapis lazuli gemstone.

-It's a rich colour

-in the middle of the darkness.

-The colour of the lapis lazuli

-has an ancient quality.

-I wanted a sense of elegance

-in my work.

-Every part of the painting

-is important to me.

-Lucky mishaps occur sometimes...

-..when colours run into each other.

-I enjoy working with colours

-that merge beautifully.

-It's an abstract painting but it's

-also a representation of something.

-I'm trying to merge

-the territorial with the abstract.

-In mid Wales, in a studio

-near her home in Llanfyllin...

-..Eleri has created

-a panoramic view of the landscape.

-She creates a complex dance as

-she communicates with her painting.

-The way you work in the studio

-is completely different.

-It contrasts the work

-you did on location.

-You create marks

-using ink, charcoal and pencil.

-You're working

-with watercolours here.

-The painting is starting to flow.

-There's a sense of adventure

-when you use watercolours.

-There's no control over the paint.

-I'm seeking the beauty

-of the Welsh landscape...

-..and the beauty of the Welsh soul.

-It's ambitious, I know. But why not?

-Art is a process that's shrouded

-in mystery. It takes time.

-I spend a lot of time

-in the studio...

-..just looking,

-thinking and absorbing.

-Then there's an explosive period...

-..when the work springs to life.

-What about Wilson's work?

-He's influenced you greatly.

-He is one of my favourite artists.

-I feel that Wilson's presence

-is with me in this case.

-It's as if he's on my shoulder

-when I'm working.

-In his time, people lost interest

-in his romantic method of painting.

-When Wilson was

-in his late fifties...

-..the market for this kind of art

-had almost disappeared.

-He earned a living

-working in the Royal Academy.

-He earned 50 a year as a librarian.

-Dewi is adding details

-using white paint...

-..for the trees

-that inspired him in Dinas Bran.

-We can now see the spirits

-of the garrison on the hill.

-A remarkable painting

-and also quite extraordinary.

-You work like a bird.

-You have a gentle touch on paper.

-There is a Japanese influence

-on my work.

-I like the gentle feel

-of the brush on the paper.

-You work quickly. Every second

-is very important to you.

-I work in an instant.

-Every second is important especially

-the first hour of working...

-..when I remove layers of paint.

-As I remove the paint,

-the layers underneath emerge.

-They are so important.

-I hide some patches,

-as I've done here.

-I wanted the power of the blue

-colour to emerge from the darkness.

-A dark castle with curious

-patches in the background.

-There's a narrative in your work.

-I can imagine you

-preparing mentally beforehand...

-..before launching a sort of attack.

-I'm a hermit by nature.

-I like my own company.

-I like the sound of silence

-and tranquillity.

-That sense of complexity in one

-particular part mirrors our life.

-Eleri is completing her painting

-in the same way she started it...

-..with charcoal.

-Above the horizon, Dinas Bran looks

-out over the enchanted landscape.

-You've completed the painting -

-it's amazing.

-The first thing I've noticed

-is its physicality.

-The landscape looks

-as if it's breathing.

-There's a sense of meditation.

-There is also a feminine quality

-to the landscape.

-It's a landscape which flows.

-There are smooth lines.

-It's very rich.

-In this work, I tried to convey the

-valley's beauty around Llangollen.

-It mirrors the beauty

-of the Welsh landscape.

-The colours are deliberately mellow.

-I've used Richard Wilson's work

-as my starting point.

-I intentionally tried to reflect

-his palette of colours...

-..especially the turquoise colour

-he used...

-..in the backgrounds

-of a number of his paintings.

-The composition is very balanced.

-I think the painting works

-because of the way you work.

-Your technique

-helps the composition.

-That's why I always walk back

-and forth when I'm working.

-That's crucial to the way I work.

-I can measure and change the

-balance of the work constantly.

-In doing so, I can make sure

-that all aspects...

-..lines and colours within

-the painting are correctly placed.

-I'm never sure where

-I'm actually going...

-..but I just feel my way.

-It can be a very painful process.

-If someone can go through

-that process...

-..and find the right balance...

-..there's a good chance of success.

-The castle in this painting conveys

-something a little different.

-It conveys mythology.

-It conveys the bardic tradition

-of Wales.

-It's an expression of a castle

-in a landscape.

-It's more than just a castle.

-This painting of Dinas Bran

-is full of poetic echoes.

-This is an image packed with rhythm.

-It expresses the heartbeat

-of cultural history in mid Wales.

-Dewi's painting gives us a glimpse

-of the landscape...

-..as seen through the castle walls.

-The artist seems

-to be defending Wales.

-As Richard Wilson's status

-as an artist waned...

-..his health also deteriorated.

-In 1782,

-he moved in with his sister in Mold.

-Sadly, he died within a year.

-He is buried here

-next to his mother.

-His legacy

-consists of many paintings...

-..of which we as a nation

-can be proud.

-S4/C subtitles by Simian 04