The last castle to be examined and given a fresh interpretation in this series is Dinas Brân near Llangollen. Richard Wilson, who was born in Penegoes, Montgomeryshire, in 1713, was the father of the British landscape painting tradition. He painted his picture of Dinas Brân in 1770 using a traditional style with the ruins of the castle serving as a dramatic focal point. The castle was built in 1270 by Welsh prince Gruffudd ap Madog, and it was he who also destroyed it 7 years later to prevent it being conquered by then king of England, Edward I. The contemporary artists giving the picture a fresh twist are Dewi Tudur and Eleri Mills.

The political resonances of the history of the castle are echoed in both new interpretations. Eleri Mills is a strong believer that Welsh artists should almost be ambassadors for Wales when they take their work abroad. Eleri was born i Mongomeryshire, like Richard Wilson,, and she feels a great affinity for him and his work. She believes that Wison, as a Welshman, felt strong emotions for his work, and this is reflected in his paintings. Whilst working on her piece for this last programme, Eleri could almost feel Wilson looking over her shoulder as she worked.

Osi Osmond, the series presenter, perceived an echo of Welsh history in Dewi Tudur's painting too. Dewi prepared his initial sketches in a cinematic style, using a series of small impressions in dense, rich colours. According to Dewi, his big challenge was to combine the solace of the valley with the sinister nature of the castle ruins. Dewi’s completed work is a strong watercolour with hints of Japanese art and with a calligraphic style. Osi saw the picture as "... a glimpse of the landscape through a gap in the castle walls as if the artist himself was defending Wales."

Artist profiles...
Eleri Mills
Dewi Tudur