On Saturday I headed into Cardiff to have an afternoon stroll around Cathays Park and make the most of what the area has to offer. I visited the National Museum but before that I headed to Made by Hand Wales.

Made by Hand Wales is the first craft event of its kind to be supported by the Arts Council of Wales Fund and demonstrates a big commitment from Welsh Government to support small creative businesses across Wales. The craft event was host to over 135 of the designers and was in the plush surroundings of City Hall. Not only could you buy handmade goods there was also a full programme of free children's workshops, adult workshops, demonstrations and talks every day about contemporary craft & art by leading makers, historians and curators.

There was so much to see and take in there and I wanted to buy so many lovely things, there was a lot to take in and all of it was of such a high quality.

Here are some of my favourite things I saw at the event:

I'm definetly looking forward to this being an annual event that I can attend, it's a great place to find something unique. It's a bit of a shame for me and my city (Newport) that the fair has left as it was held in Tredegar House the previous two years. I hope the more central location in Cardiff gives the artists and craftsmen more opportunity to sell and promote their work.

Next on my itinerary that afternoon was a trip to see the Artes Mundi prize at the National Museum. I've got my 'going to see serious art' face on in the photo below.




Now the rest of the art collection they have does reflect my area of interests. There are some wonderful paintings of the Valleys and industrial South Wales, a great exhibition featuring WWII lithographs and Welsh art from the Early Modern period.

What I really love about the National Museum is its collection of Impressionist art donated to the museum but the Davies sisters. Gwendoline Davies (1882-1951) and Margaret Davies (1884-1963) were the granddaughters of David Davies who made his fortune during the industrialisation of Victorian Wales.
He built much of the railway system in mid-Wales and was a pioneer of the coal industry in south Wales.
Their childhood was dominated by the strict beliefs of Calvinistic Methodism. They learned that it was their Christian duty to make good use of the great wealth they would inherit.
As young women they developed a deep love of the visual arts and music and travelled widely in Europe and both sisters served with the French Red Cross during the First World War. The sisters championed social, economic, educational and cultural initiatives in Wales. Their idealism and generosity had a huge impact on the cultural and intellectual life of Wales which is still with us today.

There are two of my favourite items in the collection: