The picture in this programme is John Piper's well-known and much-admired portrait of Harlech Castle. Piper was one of Britain's most multi-talented twentieth-century artists. 182 of his paintings can be seen in the Tate collection, and he designed for the theatr and churches as well. He was marries to a Welsh journalist, Myfanwy Evans, who was member of the London Welsh society.

The painting will be given fresh life by artists Elin Huws and Wil Rowlands. As well as painting, Elin is a weaver, and decided that a tapestry was the most appropriate medium to convey her take on the soft, quiet colours of the castle walls. She used wool, satin and mohair to realise her vision, and blends in elements of the folk tales of the Mabinogi, which lends a magical nuance to the piece. By contrast, Wil Rowlands, the experienced artist from Anglesey, created two paintings; one in oil on canvas to express the contrast between the archeology of today and that of the thorteenth century used for the castle's desing, which has a "sinister" feel for Wil. In the second, he uses sand on canvas to show the historical nature of his subject.

Artist profiles...
Elin Huws
Wil Rowlands