Attention All AmeriCymru Readers - Please PassThis On!!!!

WELSH AMERICAN
BOOKSTORE 3.0

COMPETITION ON AMERICYMU: AMERICAN WELSH TOUR OF NORTH WALES

2013 WEST COAST EISTEDDFOD ONLINE POETRY COMPETITION ANNOUNCED

WEST COAST EISTEDDFOD ONLINE SHORT COMPETITION ANNOUNCED

Chris Chandler At The Alberta Rose Theater & West Coast Eisteddfod

Day One - My Half Marathon Blog

Follow the whole nine yards here (a 95 part series) :- Half Marathon Blog
Why I am running:- West Coast Eisteddfod  Bryn Seion Church
For details of how to sponsor see this post

An Interview With Nancy Wright - American Welsh Poet

AmeriCymru spoke to Nancy Wright, American-Welsh poet and WNAA Board of Trustees member about her poetry and her involvement with the North American Welsh Choir .Nancy was the winner of first place prize in the 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod Poetry Competition. To read her winning entry go here:- Remembering Fengdu Go here to enter this years West Coast Eisteddfod Online Poetry Competition

A Message From The 'Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod Foundation' ( Please Circulate )

Hello,

We're sending this to everyone in our address book and if this isn't of interest to you or you can't remember who the heck we are or why we'd be writing you, our sincere apologies!

We run an Oregon arts and culture non-profit, the Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod Foundation. An eisteddfod is a Welsh performing arts festival and the purpose of our non-profit is to bring Welsh art and artists to the US, to introduce Americans to these traditions and give American artists this opportunity to present their work. We've done three years of presenting this festival, the first two years in Portland the third in LA. We brought Welsh musicians, authors and artists to American audiences, writers from our first two years gave free presentations and lectures at Portland area schools and libraries on writing and poetry and spoke at Wordstock. In our third year, more than 2,000 people attended free presentations on music, literature, poetry and heritage at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood and found our more about Welsh people in America.

We are 100% funded by donations, we're full-time + volunteers who take no pay, all proceeds of donations go to fund the programs we deliver and we need help to make it happen.

Chase Bank is doing the Chase Community Giving competition on Facebook again this year: basically, this is a sort of beauty contest for non-profits. Facebook members vote for non-profits and Chase gives out grants as prizes. We're working to get to the bottom tier and qualify for one of several $25,000.00 grants, which would be enough to fund our annual arts and heritage festival and fund another smaller event in addition, like a writing activity for school children or a local literary and literacy event.

I'm writing to ask you to please vote for us in the Chase competition now - if you're a Facebook member, log in and vote at the link, below, if not, please consider joining Facebook to vote for us at the link below. Just click on the link, log in, click the button to like the application at the top left and then click the big, green VOTE button on the page:

http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/263243673-mlmef?src=vote_share

Make sure you vote by hitting the big, green VOTE button, not just like the charity or the page. If you have any trouble, if the VOTE button doesn't work or something else goes wrong, please email me or message me on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/gaabriel.becket and let me know!

(After you vote for us, you have nine more votes you can cast for other worthy charities.)

This doesn't cost you a penny, will only take a few moments and you can really help us out by doing something quick and easy! We have only two weeks to make it, PLEASE vote for us and help us get there!

Thank you so much for your time and attention -  Gaabriel Becket

Peter Freeman - On Stage At The West Coast Eisteddfod

Peter Freeman

This is the latest in an occasional series highlighting performers and contestants at the  September 2011 'West Coast Eisteddfod- Welsh Festival of Arts' at the Barnsdall Art Park , Los Angeles . In this post we are proud to feature Welsh story teller, Peter Freeman , who will be appearing in the standup comedy competition..For more info about the event go here. To reserve your ticket for Saturday 24th click the button below :- 

 

 
( Approximately 250 tickets currently available. Buy early to avoid disappointment. )

"I was born and raised in the town of Llanelli on the south coast of Wales. Outside of the UK it seems most people think of the whole island as England, when in fact there are four historic nations that make up the Island; Wales, Scotland, Cornwall and England. In Wales, more so than any of the other Celtic countries, even Ireland. We still speak the ancient language that existed before the Anglo-Saxon invasions of the 5th Century. I was 11 years old before I could speak English with any proficiency (There are some who say I don’t speak it yet)

I went to work for the local bus company, South Wales Transport, in 1971. It was only a stopgap until I could find something better. I’m still looking for something better. I’ve been involved with mass transit ever since. I worked as a bus driver, an assistant transport manager and, for a change of pace, as a tour bus driver based in London. I was living the happy, carefree life of a bachelor and loving it. “Fall into their arms but not into their hands” was my motto. Then an American woman, on vacation, caught my bus. Before I knew it I was married and living in Los Angeles, California. We just celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary. I should mention that my wife is a Native American, Apache nation. We have two boys, half Welsh and half Apache, I joke that they are going to grow up to be drunken fighting fools."

When I came here I decided to do what I have always done and I joined the bus company. I became a federally certified instructor and yes I teach Americans how to drive a bus. As an instructor I would often point out the importance of what we do. I believe and have always believed that mass transit is essential to modern civilization."

There are a number of highlights to my career; More than I could comfortably fit into this article. The award that I am most proud of came in the year 2000 when the readers of the Downtown News voted me “Best Bus Driver” in Los Angeles. The other highlight was when I was an operator out of the West Hollywood Division, a television station back in Wales were doing a program called “The Welsh in Hollywood” We drove a bus around Hollywood and Beverly Hills with the T.V. crew on board filming and interviewing me. It resulted in a lot of e-mails and calls from friends and family. "

These days I’m a supervisor for Metro. My current assignment is as a controller at the Bus Operations Control Center. The great thing about my job is that I get to see the whole of Metro. Usually when you work in a department all that is seen is that particular area, as a controller I get to see the whole of Metro at every level. It’s an eye opening experience and can be a very rewarding one."

In 2009 I received a call from a production company, Human World, based in Santa Monica. They contacted me through the Celtic Arts Center; they were making a promo video for the release of Bungie Corporation’s latest addition to the Halo X-Box 360 game series called “Halo 3 ODST.” I’m not a gamer and had never heard of the game up to that point. They said they wanted a song for the video and they were looking for an “Obscure” language. They felt Welsh would be a good fit and asked if I could write the song. I agreed, we used the tune from a contemporary Welsh song called “Lament” gave it a martial beat, then following the guidelines they gave me I wrote the song. It went viral on You Tube and is still very popular."

My friend Lorin Richards is putting together a beautifully illustrated book based on the Welsh alphabet. He wrote a poem where each stanza describes a character from Welsh legend and begins with a letter from the alphabet. I have been invited to contribute to the book, writing the preface and a short piece about each character to go along with Lorin’s poem. The book will be ready by the end of September 2011."

  

An Interview With Chris Chandler - "America's Best Kept Secret" On Stage at the West Coast Eisteddfod

Chris Chandler with Paul Benoit

AmeriCymru: Hi Chris and many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. How would you describe your stage performance for our readers?

Chris: Describing my stage show would be like describing an opera by reciting the plot.

When I am on the road I find myself performing in a number of different venues. Seedy Bars, Union Rallies, Political Protests, Public Libraries, people's living rooms and (a first for me) in a fancy theatre competing in a Welsh Eisteddfod.

So, with all of these different types of venues I would say my performance is well… a gas… meaning it fits the shape of its container.

In a perfect world, I have a full band and a video projector (I am also a film maker, as well as songwriter)

My stories interact with both the band and the video – and of course the audience.

I think of it as collage. When it is done right the elements of the collage will break the plane of each other – till one definitive picture emerges. The seams are blurred, masked till the National Geographic aboriginal is seated on top of a Budweiser ad from Sports Illustrated at The Caernarfon Castle reading The Saturday Evening Post.

AmeriCymru: Your debut in show biz was working with the Georgia Satellites. How did that come about and what was your experience with them?


Chris: I wouldn't say I made my debut with the Satellites but they did on occasion bring me up on stage. Ya see I grew up in Georgia (USA) when I was OH, 13 or so I had a desire to hang out with the bands that practiced in the various garages in my neighborhood.

Well, up the street there was this one band – ya know a garage band – average age of about 16. They were called Pythagoras – it was the 70s and the sort of philosophical concept rock was popular amongst adolescents who had never read a book and the closest thing to a literary reference they could make was J R R Tolken. And I wanna take this opportunity to apologize to each and every one of you for my entire generation for being the ones that brought you STYX, REO Speedwagon, and Journey.

Now ya gotta keep in mind here that the difference between a thirteen year old and a 16 year old is great– so I as a skinny, hyperactive 13 year old had to have a reason to hang out in the basement with Pythagoras – or as we said in Stone Mtn – Pie –thug -orus.

Well, it was around Christmas – and me in my juvenile delinquent wisdom devised a plan – I would become the light man – and I went through the suburbs and stole all the Christmas lights in three upscale subdivisions. – I was sort of a blonde haired juvenile delinquent grinch – stealing Christmas for so that rock and roll would live forever – at least in the basements of Stone Mtn Ga. Ya see – I proceeded to take those Christmas lights into my high school shop class and built a light show. Soon every garage band in Redan High School could not consider throwing a keg party with out first contacting the light man.

As it turned out fate would soon become destiny and the bass player for one of the bands I worked with had an older brother in a bonafied bar band called – the Weasels – so at the age of fifteen I made my first fake ID and got a job with the Weasels. They played every Wednesday at a bar called Hedgen's– and I found myself hanging out there on other nights.

One Monday Night in December we were sitting around watching Monday night football when Howard Cossell comes on and announces to the world that John Lennon had been killed.

A couple of folks picked up some instruments and began playing. They vowed to play every Monday night at Hedgens It turned out to be Keith Christopher, Rick Richards Dan Baird and David Micelson. What would soon to be known as the Georgia Satellites formed that night. Soon Monday Night at Hedgen's was the thing to do. It was packed. I mean packed. The bars don’t close till 4 AM in Atlanta and they often locked the door after that. I typically left the bar in time to get to my high-school home room class.

Granted I was a kid – which in and of itself had a certain charm to it. I fancied myself a poet – I remember meeting a guy named Phil Rockstroh there. He was the first professional writer I had ever met. I showed him my work and he wadded it up and threw it on the floor.

He told me to go home and write about what I knew.

Yes, step one is write what you know. Step two is know something.

Anyway, the Satellites – along with other local Atlanta bands did on occasion – bring the kid up to read a few poems. That is where I first started performing. But – the thing is – I had never seen anything else – I just assumed it was always like that.

Well now 30 some odd years later – and having played to my fare share of empty (and full) houses. I know all too well that that is not the case.

AmeriCymru: You work on stage with musical accompanist Paul Benoit. What brought you together?

Chris: I had first met Paul in my mid twenties. He is a virtuoso guitarist – world class slide and blues player. His band and mine were playing some of the same festivals.

Well, I have had the good fortune of working with a number of terrific players in my band: Anne Feeney, David Rovics, Samantha Parton (The Be Good Tanyas) to name a few.

When he heard I was looking for a new music partner he volunteered. We have worked together (though not exclusively) for about three years – he produced our first album together "So, Where Ya Headed?" and is now working on producing our second (Tentatively titled "Matadors")

Our styles mix well. He is a calming influence. His deep roots help ground my flighty rhetoric.

AmeriCymru: You have worked with some amazing performers in the past. Care to tell us about your association with one or two of them? Lets start with Utah Phillips.


Chris: I had met Bruce a few times at festivals and such over the years – I doubt he remembered me – but I was a big fan. I was still either volunteering at the festivals or maybe booked on one of the side stages. But I was lucky enough to have some of the main stage performers invite me up during their set to read a poem. People like the Austin Lounge Lizards, Catie Curtis, Trout Fishing in America, Martin Sexton, Peter Yarrow. This happened often enough that I managed to put out a CD with me reading poetry on top of a different act on every song. Folks like Dar Williams and Dan Bern. It's called "Collaborations." Utah came across my CD while he was doing his radio show "Loafers Glory." That was about the time I started working with Anne Feeney www.annefeeney.com – who Utah called "The Greatest labor singer in North America."" And he is right. It is true. He came out to a few of our shows and even had us open for him a few times. Brilliant man. His grasp on the complexity of the labor struggle – which when you boil it all down is the only struggle – and his ability to distill that complexity into its simplest terms – while making you laugh – is astounding,

"The long memory is the most radical idea in America."

AmeriCymru: Allen Ginsberg?


Chris: I was a Street musician in the mid – late eighties. I had been playing the subways in New York and Boston for a few years and was starting to develop a reputation for being both political and funny – which got me into a few clubs. One in particular – the Wetlands in New York City. I would come in on occasion as an opening act – do a few of my funny political protest songs and then pass the hat.

The booker at the club seemed to like me.

Shortly after Abby Hoffman died The Wetlands did a little tribute to him – and they had Allen Ginsberg, William Kuntsler, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Norman Mailer, and Barbara Erinreich and well… me.

They wanted to put a young person on the bill that Abby had influenced. So I got to be on stage in a sort of round robin with these seriously heavy hitters.

The place was packed, I was petrified. The thing about Wetlands is – it had a mural against the back wall that looked like more people. They put speakers out on the streets so the crowd that couldn’t get in could hear.

In true Abbie fashion – I told the crowd I lived in a car and was trying to make it to some political event or other (which was true) and I passed the hat to this very large crowd as I played a song called Watergate Generation which was about NOT being part of the 50s-60s radical levitate the Pentagon, poetry banned and going to the supreme court, representing the Chicago 6, Black Panther Party, American Indian Movement, New Journalism, Ms Magazine, Mother Jones, Village Voice, New Democratic Socialist movement .


Ginsberg laughed – thought it was a gutsy move – he said nice things about my work – I was well – he wrote the single greatest American poem of the 20th Century – needless to say – speechless.

A few years later we had managed to talk him into doing a few lines on my first CD (As Seen on No TV) but the scheduling didn’t work out. I am still sad by that.

AmeriCymru: Ani Di Franco?


Chris: I came across her first in the late 80s at an open mic in Boston. A place called The Naked City. She was traveling around in a car – playing the streets – same as me.

We exchanged Cassette tapes.

Our paths would continue to cross for the next few years - we wound up on the same song swap at a festival in Winnipeg. They always do that – out the weirdoes on the same stage together. That is the only time she and I ever collaborated. Years later, she produced a friend of mine's CD (a fellow Los Angelian ) Dan Bern.

She did a great job – but I was just hanging out – I did not really contribute anything creatively.

Dan did however wind up on this collaborations CD I made that I mentioned earlier.

Ani and I were both road rats at the same time – we were bound to cross paths and we did.

AmeriCymru: Who do you listen to for relaxation? Any recommendations?

Chris: The Cramps.

AmeriCymru: Who do you read or what are you reading currently?

Chris: I just finished Dylan's Chronicles and am in the middle of Alexander Corday's A Matter of Wales series.

AmeriCymru: We learn from your website that you have been described as 'America's Best Kept Secret' by someone who wishes to remain anonymous. Any clues? Any thoughts on that description?

Chris: Oh, I know why they want to remain anonymous. Kinda like Wikki Leaks.

AmeriCymru: Any plans to visit the UK?


Chris: Yes, soon I hope. Jen and I had a great trip there last fall. It was the first time I had been there since I was a teenager – when I went there playing Soccer on an all star team. I want to go back. I see Wales as the West Virginia of the UK. As a southerner – I think highly of West Virginia. She, like Wales has a rich history. Poor but cantankerous, rebellious, triumphant.

AmeriCymru: What's next for Chris Chandler?

Chris: Tomorrow afternoon I am going to see the Saints play here in Oakland. No, seriously… I am working on this new CD I mentioned with Paul Benoit www.paulbenoitmusic.com – I hope to have it out by Christmas. Jen and I hope to make it to the UK this year – I would love to do my show there – but I haven’t done it yet. I am crossing my fingers.

I am working on a few short films for David Rovics www.davvidrovics.com and Anne Feeney (two of the truly great protest singers of our time – if not all time).

I would like to pull off a one man lay for fringe festivals. – I have a raft of projects on my plate. I would love to clean that plate – clean enough so I don’t have to do dishes. I hate doing dishes.


Interview by Ceri Shaw Email

Merrill Shindler, famous food critic in Los Angeles, spotlights the 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod!

Merrill Shindler

Merrill Shindler will be spotlighting the 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod: Welsh Festival of Arts on his Saturday night radio program 'Feed Your Face!'

Listen in on Saturday Sept 3rd and Sept 10th between 6pm and 8pm, and a special interview on Sept 17th with head chef Alex Webber of Alex Catering to talk about his preparations for the Welsh festival and what he will be cooking. Yum!
 

This is really exciting for me and I hope it is for you too, as Merrill has a vast reach of listeners and will help bring even more people out to learn about Welsh and Welsh-American culture! Thank you Merrill!

Merrill is editor of the Los Angeles Zagat Survey, host of Fine Living: Critics on the Fine Living Network, restaurant critic for the Copley and San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, and host of a weekly program on how much fun it is to put things in your mouth on KABC Radio.

 
Alex's Menu for the 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod: Welsh Festival of Arts will include:

Festival Menu (prices tba / subject to change)

Welsh Omelet (Bacon, Mushroom, Leek) Welsh Cawl (Lamb, Potato, Leek Stew) Bowl of Soup Toasted Welsh Rarebit (Cheese, Leeks and Beer on Toasted Bread)

Glamorgan sausage with Fries and Peas Grilled Liver and Onions with Stwns Pork, Leek and Chive Sausage with Stwns (mashed roots)

Vegetarian Curry Leek Burger and Chips Fish and Chips

For more on Alex Catering goto: http://alexcateringonline.com/

This is just one of the four delicious ways to spend the weekend. So how about trying Welsh Cakes from the Welsh Baker - flavors include classic (plain), raisin, cranberry, blueberry, cinnamon, chocolate chip, lemon poppy, pecan and walnut maple! Almost forget to mention their cake popsicles - oh so good! 

Or step up and drink a cold Sir Nathan's Red Dragon Lemonade, where money raised goes to help childrens cancer needs. The drink is named in honor of Nathan Lev a young artist who is battling cancer with his art and the help of the Red Dragon! Further afield, you may also have a inkling to taste Oberon's famous ale! But beware, this joint has a Welsh pirate theme so you may be asked to walk the plank if you can't handle your liquor. All in good fun of course, and Oberon's brings their own bardic entertainment! 

A little more about the festival:

The 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod: Welsh Festival of Arts is sponsored by the Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod Foundation in association with AmeriCymru and A Raven Above Press and will take place at The Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA, 90027 on Sept 23-25, 2011.

Friday Sept 23rd on the Barnsdall Grounds and the Theatre from 6pm to 9:30pm

Opening Ceremonies with performances by Paul Child (the official voice of Welsh Rugby), Michael Aston of Gene Loves Jezebel, Monica Richards/InfraWarrior. Beginning the evening we will have a Druid blessing by Brian y Tarw Llwyd and Garan Gwyn, followed by choral music from the Cor Cymraeg De Califfornia (Welsh Choir of Southern California). Also opening of the Welsh Mythology and Legend Art Show!

Saturday Sept 24th in the Barnsdall Theatre from 3pm to 9pm

Eisteddfod Prize Competitions in Poetry, Voice, Comedy, and Storytelling.

Sunday Sept 25th in the Barnsdall Theatre from 1:30pm to 6:30pm

Film Festival: Film Festival and Lecture screening ‘Otherworld’, ‘Eldra’ and the ‘Quarryman’. Special guest host Aparna Sharma, Assistant Professor of Dept of World Arts and Cultures at UCLA (with expertise on Welsh Cinema), will be introducing each film with a brief commentary on its importance.

Tour the legendary Hollyhock House, designed by Welsh American Frank Lloyd Wright, residence of Aline Barnsdall and built in 1919-1921. Hollyhock House will offer an Open House on Saturday and Sunday, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Docents will be on hand to introduce Hollyhock House to visitors and interpret individual rooms inside the house. Visitors are welcome to enter at any time during our operating hours. Tickets for the house will be on sale at the Municipal Art Gallery, a short distance from the house.

FREE OUTDOOR EVENTS On Saturday Sept 24th and Sunday Sept 25th from 11am to 5pm, Welsh Games, Vendor Marketplace, crafts, and classes, including Language instruction by Jason Shepherd of the Learn Welsh Podcast, Magic Show by Joseph Schneider, Welsh Storytelling by Peter Anthony Freeman, traditional Music by vocal/harpist Nerys Jones and ‘Wake the Bard’, Crwth demonstration, contemporary music by Lyn Mackay and Tom Jones tribute band ‘Sexbomb’. Appearance by the Mari Lwyd, demonstration of Gwyddbwyll. Workshops and lectures by Genealogist Annie Lloyd, Jude Johnson, Joe Praml, John Gower, Llwyn Swynedig, Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, R. Merlin, Jymie Darling, Segni Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Sam Wenger, Los Angeles Rugby Club, and Peter Paddon.

Come and see the traveling exhibit 'Welsh in America': Learn about Welsh-American history with this special exhibit on loan from the Welsh Assembly Government.

Chris Chandler - On Stage At The West Coast Eisteddfod

Chris Chandler
Photo: Karen Kilroy

This is the latest in an occasional series highlighting performers and contestants at the  September 2011 'West Coast Eisteddfod- Welsh Festival of Arts' at the Barnsdall Art Park , Los Angeles . In this post we are proud to feature poet and storyteller, Chris Chandler. For more info about the event go here. To reserve your ticket for Saturday 24th click the button below :- 

( Approximately 250 tickets currently available. Buy early to avoid disappointment. )

Poet and storyteller Chris Chandler is as hilarious and entertaining as he is provocative and rabble-rousing, delivering vignettes about politics and modern culture with the fire of a Baptist Preacher. His appearances are insightful tales of a world gone slightly mad, accompanied by a wide variety of musical styles. He has performed on thousands of stages across North America, working with such legendary figures as Allen Ginsberg, Pete Seeger, Mojo Nixon and Ani DiFranco.

The late great Utah Phillips called Chris "the best performance poet I have ever seen."

“The most radically creative act on the coffee house Circuit.” - The Boston Herald

“This Man Is Dangerous” - The Washington Post

“Great Work, Ever Thought Of Trying It In Calypso?” - Allen Ginsberg

Jeannette Rizzi , Icehouse, Pasadena - See Jeannette at The West Coast Eisteddfod

Jeannete Rizzi

This is the latest in an occasional series highlighting performers and contestants at the  September 2011 'West Coast Eisteddfod- Welsh Festival of Arts' at the Barnsdall Art Park , Los Angeles . In this post we are proud to feature standup comedian, Jeannette Rizzi. For more info about the event go here. To reserve your ticket for Saturday 24th click the button below :- 

 

 
( Approximately 150 tickets currently available. Buy early to avoid disappointment. )



Jeannette Rizzi live at The Icehouse, Pasadena 

( xxx content advisory - not suitable for work, minors etc )

Click the links below for more information about other Eisteddfod performers.

West Coast Eisteddfod Los Angeles 2011 - Live Competitions
Vocal 3-400pm	Story 4.40-5.40pm	Poetry 6.20-7.20pm	Comedy 8-900pm
George Angelo, Jr. Timo Standing Buffalo Mia - Chocolate Princess Tom Lloyd	John McGee Laura Wolfe-Bosworth Michael D McCarty Anthony Burcher	Tiger Moon Daniel Morales Leon Karina Dominguez Janice Ann Johnson Kalil Cohen	Jeannette Rizzi Brian Whitaker Christi Waldon Carlos Escobar

West Coast Eisteddfod 2011 Lovespoon - Video Blog

LINKS

David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon

Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons: Understanding, Designing, and Carving Romantic Heirlooms

 
"The Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons" An Interview with David Western

Portland Lovespoon 2010 Finished!!

Laura Gorun collaborated with David on the design of the 2010 Left Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon. See an excerpt from the blog here:-

David Western and Laura Gorun's Left Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon Blog, 6 April 2010,

See the West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon at the AmeriCymru table at NAFOW and the W.C.E :-

NAFOW

West Coast Eisteddfod

From the Wikipedia

'The lovespoon is a traditional craft that dates back to the seventeenth century. Over generations, decorative carvings were added to the spoon and it lost its original practical use and became a treasured decorative item to be hung on a wall.

The earliest known dated lovespoon from Wales, displayed in the St Fagans National History Museum near Cardiff, is from 1667, although the tradition is believed to date back long before that. The earliest dated lovespoon worldwide originates from Germany, and is dated as 1664.

The lovespoon was given to a young woman by her suitor. It was important for the girl's father to see that the young man was capable of providing for the family and woodworking.

Sailors would often carve lovespoons during their long journeys, which is why anchors would often be incorporated into the carvings.

Certain symbols came to have specific meanings: a horseshoe for luck, a cross for faith, bells for marriage, hearts for love, a wheel supporting a loved one and a lock for security, among others. Caged balls indicated the number of children hoped for. Other difficult carvings, such as chains, were as much a demonstration of the carver's skill as a symbolic meaning.

Although the Welsh lovespoon is the most famous there are also traditions of lovespoons in Scandinavia and some parts of Eastern Europe, which have their own unique styles and techniques.

Today lovespoons are given as wedding and anniversary gifts, as well as birthday, baby gifts, Christmas or Valentine's Day gifts. They are now mostly seen as a folk craft.'

2011 West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon Complete!!!!!

Reproduced with permission from David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon Blog

TA DAAAA!

2011 West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon

Front View ( click to enlarge image )

The 2011 Eisteddfod Lovespoon is finally done!   I am just applying a few coats of oil to bring up the colouration and to protect it from the elements a bit and then it will be ready to go!   I'm really pleased with how it has turned out...the wood has a soft amber tone with flecks of colour from the spalting which give it some real liveliness.  The design worked out as I had hoped it would with the dragon being dominant, but not overwhelming (or cliche).  I'm also delighted with how the contest designs worked out.  They are all very eye-catching and relevant....I'm glad I didn't have to decide which ones went on there though, there were a lot of really good ideas!   I think my favourite part of this year's spoon is the look of the knotwork.  I'm very pleased with how soft and 'organic' the birch makes the knots look; they are very touchable!!!   I think this year's spoon is a very unique design which will go very nicely on some lucky donor's wall!!!

2011 West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon

Back View ( click to enlarge image )

This year I included L.C.E. 2011 on the back surface of the design...even though I know the official name of the event is the West Coast Eisteddfod, the seditious side of my nature couldn't help itself, and I reached back to the event's original moniker, The Left Coast Eisteddfod-- cheeky yes, but who is going to stop me??)  I thought we should commemorate the event in a way which was both noticeable AND unobtrusive (with contradictory ideas like THAT, I should have been a politician!!) so I figured some thin lettering along the back of the spoon would be the way to do it!   With the knotwork carved as thoroughly on the back as it is on the front, the spoon will cast some nice viewing shadows when hung on display and the shadows will help to give the knotwork even more depth!

This spoon represents a great deal of thought, time and effort and I hope that you are as pleased with the results as I am.   The whole purpose of carving the spoon has been, and continues to be, to raise funds which will be used to stage our Eisteddfod.   It is my hope that you agree the West Coast Eisteddfod is a great idea worthy of your support and that you will consider donating a dollar or two even if you don't think you'll be able to attend. Every dollar you donate equals a chance to win this spoon and I thank you in advance for your kind donations!

Jon Gower - On Stage At The West Coast Eisteddfod

Jon Gower

 It is with great pride and pleasure that we announce today the participation of Jon Gower in the 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod. Jon will be one of the adjudicators in the live Storytelling Competition on Sept 24th and will be presenting a talk entitled "Discovering Welsh History" on the same day in the Outside Lecture area ( 12 p.m. ).  He will also be  presenting a reading from 'Big Fish' , a collection of short stories published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch in 2000.

"Jon Gower is a producer with Boomerang, one of Wales’ most dynamically creative TV and radio companies. He was BBC Wales’ Arts and Media correspondent from 2000-2006, when he also presented First Hand, BBC Radio Wales’ arts programme. Jon has also worked, variously, as public affairs officer for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and as a current affairs journalist for HTV. He has written books about travel and local history, including An Island Called Smith (Gomer, 2001), about a disappearing island in Chesapeake Bay, which was a John Morgan Award winner. He has edited a further four volumes, as well as writing a collection of short stories, Big Fish (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 2000)."

He is an English language judge for the 2011 Wales Book of the Year Award and one of the adjudicators for the Daniel Owen Memorial Prize at this years National Eisteddfod.  Jon is currently working on a book to accompany a major new BBC series on Welsh History.


Read our interview with Jon Gower here:- An Interview With Welsh Author - Jon Gower


Read our review of Jon's novel 'Uncharted' here:-  A Review of Jon Gower's 'Uncharted'

West Coast Eisteddfod Outdoor Events Schedule

SCHEDULE FOR FREE OUTDOOR EVENTS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY ( may be subject to revision )

FRIDAY  ( Buy Tickets for Indoor Event Here, All Outdoor Events Free)

6 to 9pm Oberon's Welsh Pirate Bar

Open Bar

Also Available - Welsh Cuisine by Alex Catering, Welsh Cakes by the Welsh Baker

6pm tp 9:30pm ON FRI in the Barnsdall Theatre - OPENING CEREMONY

6pm to 7pm Druid Blessing and Welsh Choir of Southern California

7pm to 9:30pm Concert with Paul Child 'Official Singer' of the Welsh Rugby Union and Monica Richards/InfraWarrior, Michael Aston of Gene Loves Jezebel . Opening of the Welsh Mythology and Legend Art Show

SATURDAY   ( Buy Tickets for Indoor Event Here, All Outdoor Events Free)

11 to 5pm Outdoor Barnsdall Performance Stage

10:00am -Setup

11:00am - Wake the Bard performs traditional Welsh and Celtic music

12:00pm -Welsh Harpist/Traditional singer Nerys Jones performs

1:00pm -Crwth demonstration by Dr. J. Marshall Bevil

2:00pm -Welsh contemporary singer Lyn Mackay performs

3:00pm -Magician Joseph Schneider

4:00pm-Wake the Bard performs traditional Welsh and Celtic music

11 to 5pm Outdoor Barnsdall Lecture Stage

10:00am -setup

11:00am -Sam Wenger - Legends of King Arthur and Madog

12:00pm -John Gower lecture 'Discovering Welsh History'

1:00pm -Jymie Darling lecture on Transmutation of Alchemy and the Soul

2:00pm -Demonstration of Rugby by the Los Angeles Rugby Club

3:00pm -Segni Pembroke Welsh Corgi lecture

4:00pm -R. Merlin lecture and book reading

11 to 5pm Outdoor Barnsdall Classroom

10:00am -setup

11:00am -Workshop with Llwyn Swynedig, Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids

12:00pm -Learn Welsh Podcast Beginner Welsh language pt.1

1:00pm -Chor Cymraeg de Califfornia vocal workshop

2:00pm -Peter Paddon workshop on Visceral Magick

3:00pm -Learn Welsh Podcast Beginner Welsh language pt.2

4:00pm- Pan Pipes - Interactive Alchemy Course

11 to 9pm Oberon's Welsh Pirate Bar

Open Bar

4:00pm to 4:40pm Tom Jones Karaoke

5:40pm to 6:20pm National Welsh Male Costume Competition

7:20pm to 8pm Boat Drinking Race

3pm to 9pm ON SAT in the Barnsdall Theatre - EISTEDDFOD Competitions

3pm to 4pm Voice Competition

4pm to 4:40pm Musical Interlude with Nerys Jones

4:40pm to 5:40pm Storytelling Competition

5:40pm to 6:20pm Musical Interlude with Sexbomb

6:20pm to 7:20pm Poetry Competition

7:20pm to 8:00pm Musical Interlude with Lynn Mackay

8pm to 9pm Comedy Competition

SUNDAY  ( Buy Tickets for Indoor Event Here, All Outdoor Events Free)

11 to 5pm Outdoor Barnsdall Performance Stage

10:00am -setup

11:00am -Wake the Bard performs traditional Welsh and Celtic music

12:00pm -Welsh Harpist/Traditional singer Nerys Jones performs

1:00pm -Crwth demonstration by Dr. J. Marshall Bevil

2:00pm -Welsh contemporary artist Lyn Mackay performs

3:00pm -Magician Joseph Schneider

4:00pm-Wake the Bard performs traditional Welsh and Celtic music

11 to 5pm Outdoor Barnsdall Lecture Stage

10:00am -setup

11:00am -Segni Pembroke Welsh Corgi lecture

12:00pm-Sam Wenger - Legends of King Arthur and Madoc

1:00pm -Jymie Darling on Transmutation of Alchemy and the Soul

2:00pm -Jude Johnson book reading

3:00pm -Demonstration of Rugby by the Los Angeles Rugby Club

4:00pm -R. Merlin lecture and book reading

11 to 5pm Outdoor Barnsdall Classroom

  

11:00am -Workshop with Llwyn Swynedig, Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids

12:00pm -Learn Welsh Podcast Beginner Welsh language pt.1

1:00pm -Chor Cymraeg de Califfornia vocal workshop

2:00pm -Peter Paddon workshop on Visceral Magick

3:00pm -Learn Welsh Podcast Beginner Welsh language pt.2

4:00pm -Pan Pipes - Interactive Alchemy Course

11 to 5pm Oberon's Welsh Pirate Bar

Open Bar

1:30pm to 6:30pm ON SUN in the Barnsdall Theatre - FILM FESTIVAL

1:30pm to 1:40pm Aparna Sharma lecture

1:40pm to 2:20pm Screening of The Quarryman

2:20pm to 2:30pm Aparna Sharma lecture

2:30pm to 4:10pm Screening of Eldra

4:10pm to 4:20pm Aparna Sharma lecture

4:20pm to 5:50pm Screening of Otherworld

5:50pm to 6:30pm Screening TBA / Closing