Craft Festival Wales Town Trail turns Cardigan into open-air gallery

FROM September 11 to October 11, Cardigan becomes an open-air gallery as the Craft Festival Wales Town Trail returns for its third year.

The trail has been created and curated by Eisteddfod gold medallist ceramic artist Justine Allison to accompany Craft Festival Wales.

As you wander through Cardigan’s streets, you’ll discover seven new commissions by seven makers who have previously won awards at Craft Festival Wales. Each work is inspired by one of seven Welsh words reflecting the experience of home:

Textile artist Llio James, originally from Talybont, Ceredigion, has created a new handwoven double-cloth blanket using 100% British wool. The reversible design offers a contemporary interpretation of a traditional Aberteifi pattern, celebrating local heritage through modern weaving.

A graduate of Manchester School of Art with a master’s in design: Fashion & Textiles from Bath Spa University, Llio worked internationally before establishing her Cardiff studio. Today she designs woven cloth on a traditional dobby loom, collaborating with local mills across Wales and England while continuing to produce bespoke handwoven commissions.

Her work reflects the essence of Cysur / Comfort: the warmth of handmade textiles, the reassurance of tradition and the joy of objects created to be lived with.

Working from his studio near Llangadog, Tim Lake creates beautifully crafted high-fired stoneware that balances function with quiet elegance.

Thrown on a traditional kick wheel and fired in a gas and wood kiln, Tim’s ceramics are glazed using slips and glazes he makes himself, often incorporating locally collected natural materials. Influenced by ceramic traditions from Korea to Japan, alongside British studio pottery, his work reflects a deep respect for craftsmanship and everyday use. As Tim says, “Pots are to be used, looked at and, most of all, enjoyed.”

His work celebrates Maeth / Nourishment: the rituals of cooking, sharing and gathering around objects made for daily life.

Printmaker and illustrator Tom Frost has become known for his instantly recognisable graphic style, drawing inspiration from vintage matchboxes, folk art, taxidermy, old toys, stamps and the natural world.

Working from his studio in Llanboidy, Tom has collaborated with clients including the V&A, Penguin Books, Walker Books, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Barti Ddu. His specially commissioned artwork for the Trail captures the playful spirit that has made his work so widely loved.

Inspired by Tirwedd / Landscape, Tom’s work reflects the stories, colours and character found in the places around us.

Based in Cardigan, Ella Bua-In creates tactile stoneware vessels designed to be held, used and treasured.

Illustration sits at the heart of her practice, with hand-painted narrative drawings applied using oxides to create expressive, imperfect surfaces. Her work celebrates the beauty of handmade objects that become part of everyday life.

Ella’s pieces capture Hiraeth / Longing: the emotional connection we form with places, memories and the objects that surround us.

Contemporary quilt maker Sophie Snow creates striking textile works inspired by the landscapes and coastlines of West Wales.

Working from her studio in St Dogmaels, Sophie combines linen, cotton, block-printed fabrics and intricate hand stitching in bold, joyful colour palettes. Rather than depicting specific places, her quilts evoke the emotions and memories connected with landscape, capturing moments of stillness and belonging. Every quilt is handcrafted slowly, with the intention that it will be cherished for generations.

Her work embodies Croeso / Welcome, inviting us to pause, connect and feel at home within the stories held in cloth.

Furniture maker John Pearce, known as The Teifi Woodworker, creates beautifully crafted contemporary furniture from his workshop in Henllan.

Inspired by traditional country furniture, John works almost exclusively with sustainably sourced British timber, often from West Wales. Using hand tools and time-honoured joinery techniques, each piece celebrates the unique character and grain of the wood, resulting in furniture designed to become tomorrow’s heirlooms.

John’s work reflects Aelwyd / Hearth: the heart of the home, where craftsmanship, family and stories come together.

Justyna Medon, founder of Addicted to Patterns, is a printmaker, educator and wallpaper conservator based in the Garw Valley near Bridgend.

A 2022 QEST Scholar in Wallpaper Design & Conservation, Justyna specialises in hand-printed textiles and wallpapers that combine traditional craftsmanship with experimental printmaking and material-led design. Her work reflects a fascination with pattern, colour and surface, bringing historic techniques into a contemporary context.

Her practice celebrates Atgof / Memory, exploring how patterns, materials and handmade objects preserve traces of the past while creating new stories for the future.

Pick up a Town Trail Map from any of the Trail venues, or from Oriel Canfas, Oriel Cardi-Bach or Cardigan Castle, then collect a stamp at each location as you explore. Once you’ve completed the Trail, return your map to Cardigan Castle by October 31 to be entered into a prize draw to win a bundle of gifts donated by the participating venues.

For more information, visit https://craftfestival.co.uk/craft-festival-town-trail/