 ...tap/click on images for a larger view.. I arrived at the Mawddach Estuary, with the feelings of both wonder and excitement about the prospect and luxury of having two weeks to dedicate to drawing and making collages. I did have quite a clear plan originally, to make work that would be a continuation of the body of work I am making in Norfolk, focusing on the depiction of derelict and abandoned churches, using the poem ‘Church Going’ by Philip Larkin as a cannon for my ideas; and illustrate the gradual changing in the uses of religious buildings, showing how ruins are symbolic of shifting communities, and modern society. I think I tickled Jake and Scarlett with my use of the term ‘Ruin Lust’ (Dillon,2014) which I’d quoted from Brian Dillon’s book of the same name. But it’s true, despite the magnificent landscapes, sublime panoramic estuary views, I was compelled to seek the most dilapidated buildings I could find. Even as soon as I passed through the Welsh border, the plethora of abandoned churches, relics of industry, and communities of old, strewn along the roadsides, were very prevalent. On the first few days I felt the need to venture out quickly, and found places such as St Catherine’s Church, and Salem Methodist Church in Arthog, that could be a focus for my time on the Residency. Discretely hidden behind the undergrowth on the A493 roadside between Arthog and Dolgelloau, Salem Methodist Church in Arthog, built in 1833, abandoned in 1973, was the place I think I kept returning to the most. Shapes, forms, and textures, form the chaos of rubble on the church floor that is littered with dismantled furniture and roof debris; pulpits are haunting, carved, figure like relics of what may have been a dedicated congregation. The space was fascinating and challenging to draw and really resonated with the Philip Larkin’s reflections upon faith and community, symbolised through his observations of languishing church structures with ‘shapes less recognisable each week’…and with ‘purposes more obscure’. The experience reinforced the value of fieldwork. The locations for much of my work e.g. Salem Methodist Church, almost became an extension to the residency studio space; both of which, gave me the time and space to reflect and focus on my practice and methods; and inspired me to experiment more with shapes and forms, resulting in imagery that explored line, and layers of shape and texture.
I aim to develop the work I began during my residency time and develop further larger scale studies of Salem Methodist Church, Arthog, focusing on an interior derelict church space that resonates with Philip Larkin’s writing. I hope to exhibit the work as drawings and prints in April 2026. Glyn Brewerton
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