Blogs

" A Sense of Place" - A Photographic Competition

We are immensely proud and pleased to announce that for the second year running internationally renowned photographer Glyn Davies will be judging the Left Coast Eisteddfod Visual Image Competition . For more information about Glyn follow this LINK . For a selection of breathtaking images which Glyn recently uploaded to Americymru check out the slideshow below.

In defining the theme for this years competition our judge , Glyn Davies made the following comments regarding content and submissions:- "What is it about our environment, whether landscape or people, that makes it so particular to us, the artists? We could all photograph a tree on a hillside, a wave crashing over a rock or even a pretty person in the street, but what identifies them with YOUR locality ? As the judge, based in Wales, I am interested in seeing photographs which give me a better idea about the characteristics and atmosphere of the artists homeland. This does NOT mean that images have to be ordinary, they can be moody, dramatic and immaculately composed but I want them to show me that we are all living in amazing and DIFFERENT places. I want the artists to celebrate what is special about their own location and culture. This way, not only do we get to see amazing images, but we can all learn more about each other in the process." . Please take the time to read the rules carefully before entering . Any queries shoud be directed to americymru@gmail.com . There is a first prize of $150 for both categories the Visual Image Competition. The categories are outlined below:-

• A Photographic Image - either from film or digital cameras which generally represents the subject without adding or subtracting elements. Please feel free to add text explaining why you thinks the image is important - " I do not believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, images can be too easily misinterpreted ." - Glyn Davies.

• A Photographic Illustration - this is any image which has been substantially adjusted and manipulated by whatever means, digital or analogue, and which is generally non representational of a real person/place/event. The manipulation MUST be relevant to a theme or idea, manipulation for manipulation's sake will not be given serious consideration. The idea should be put in writing to accompany the image.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our contestants the very best of luck in the Visual Image Competition. Winners will be announced at the Left Coast Eisteddfod in October 2010.

Subscribe to the Left Coast Eisteddfod 2010 Visual Image Competition RSS HERE.

One Way Ticket is the third album to be released from Welsh songstress Lowri Evans and it follows on seamlessly from Kick the Sand and Clyw Sibrydion. Her first album Clyw Sibrydion (Hear Whispers) was recorded in the Welsh language whilst for Kick the Sand Lowri decided to record mainly in English. However two of the most popular tracks on Clyw Sibrydion turned out to be the bilingual version of U2s With Or Without You and one of her own compositions Merch Y Myny sung in the Welsh language.

It was during 2006 when Lowri was performing some Welsh language television shows that she first realised that she was missing out on performing to a significant section of her own people and culture. It was then that Lowri decided to translate her own compositions into Welsh and start singing in both the English and Welsh language. What makes Lowri Evans unique is her beautiful Welsh voice, distinctive and powerful delivering a highly original blend of blues, contemporary folk and pop. She has this wonderful ability to blend the two languages in both her live and recorded performances.

Lowri Evans (Loow-ree) was born in the Welsh market town of Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire. These days she lives in Newport also situated in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. Although Ms Evans is well known in her homeland through concerts, television and radio appearances Lowri and her musical partner Lee Evans have now started to attract attention outside of Wales via endorsements from radio, TV and visiting artists.

One of the recent highlights of Lowris career was to appear as support to Richie Havens at the Queens Hall in Narberth where she received a standing ovation. And the man himself was very gracious and humble and gave an amazing performance. Richie is one of the many visiting music legends to choose Lowri as their support act when performing in Wales.

Civic Druidry draws on the archeological, historical, and cultural legacy of Celtic peoples of Europe and present-day Celtic countries and applies what is learned as a social mechanism to better understand and relate to contemporary culture and the natural world.

Positions

Druids as custodians of cultural values and what some have called "Celtic Consciousness," a distinct group of living points of reference, feelings, ways of thinking about and relating to the world, and other mores and enculturated values, practice and conduct civic rituals for their immediate and broader communities. They have particular responsibilities to maintain, conserve, appreciate, and respect the natural world and how we cooperate and relate to it. Druids understand and live according to green values and advocate balanced-responsible environmental lifestyles.

Ovates preserve, promote, and employ the arts and sciences of natural health and healing. They also look to outer and psychological means for interpreting the past, understanding the present, and predicting the course of future events for people, families, groups, communities, and nations. Ovates often use elements and principles of design to develop and explain the interrelationships between future, past, and present events and actions. Today, we see similar developments in holistic and alternative medicine and in quantum physics.

Bards use words, music, and images to record and present information about people, their world, social, and cultural things of interest. They inspire and preserve, entertain and convey the arts of comedy and drama as life moves forward. Through prose, poetry, music, and other creative, performing, and fine arts, they add elements of aesthetic value to those who see, hear, or read their works. As Druids may be said to embody the life and consciousness of a community, bards are keepers of an intangible inspiration, Awen as it flows through and infuses or revitalizes creativity among their friends and in their communities..

Join the North American Gorsedd Group on Americymru

Join the Three Word Story group and contribute to our New Mabinoggion and you could be in line for one of our fabulous new digital prizes. Voting has commenced for our Three Word Bard of 2009. The winner will receive the Bardic Whoopee cushion ( displayed on their Americymru homepage ) together with a book of Welsh Jokes donated by world famous author and humorist Dilwyn Jeffrey Phillips. This never to be repeated offer ( until next year anyway ) is underway now in the Three Word Story group.