Bruce Cardwell – författare

Bruce Cardwell's latest book is a celebration of the harp in Wales, an instrument as symbolically key to a Welsh identity as the flag itself.Cardwell provides a history of the harp in Wales: how it grew to prominence, its evolving role in Welsh culture and symbolism, and the booming harp business today. He also explores the craft of harpmaking, including the variety of construction, materials, designs and aesthetics, issues of 'playability' and tone, and the fusion of craft skills with artistic sensibilities. The book also contains portraits of 36 contemporary Welsh harpists, their individual repertoires and how they see their place in the continuing tradition. These harpists include Catrin Finch, Elinor Bennett, Delyth Jenkins, Robin Huw Bowen, Twm Morys, Gwenan Gibbard, Harriet Earis and Llio Rhydderch.Bruce Cardwell is the author of Hoofpicks: Photographs of the Horse in Wales (Seren, 2009) and Noteworthy: Images of Music (Seren, 2011). He is also a practising folk musician, playing flute, violin and citrain, and has appeared in Wales, Britain, Ireland and Europe. He lives in Aberystwyth.

A Hardy Breed is a collection of 120 black and white photographs celebrating shepherding and sheep farming in mid and north Wales. It records a way of life under pressure for the past couple of centuries, and more than ever today. The book is an important social document, of reportage, portraiture and documentary photography of an industry threatened by the outcomes of Brexit and other issues, like climate change, biodiversity, agricultural developments. Importantly, many of the communities featured are centres of Welsh language and culture, also under pressure. Above all though, it is a book with heart. Cardwell’s text discusses the many issues facing farmers and includes brief interviews with the subjects of some of the images. His photographs offer stunning landscapes and intimate peeks into the distinctive work and lives of sheep farmers, shepherds and their dogs. Here is an insight into a singular society, of farming, shearing, shows, markets and mountains.The photographs are from Bruce Cardwell’s ‘Calon Wlan’ exhibition at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, which was purchased in its entirety by the National Library of Wales.

The horse has been central to Welsh history and retains a place of great significance and importance in Welsh society even in the age of car travel and growing urbanisation.Photographer Bruce Cardwell set himself the task of recording the many ways in which horses still gallop across the country's physical and mental landscape. His stunning black and white photographs range from the internationally famous Welsh cobs to wild ponies roaming housing estates.There is the horse at work – mounted shepherds in mid Wales, mounted police in the south. The horse and sport in the form of racing, trotting, and point to point. And there is horse society – markets, fairs, shows, gymkhana – and the people who make it – breeders, riders, farmers, judges, hunters, vets.Bruce Cardwell has captured the whole world of the horse in Wales, composed of many different worlds all superbly photogenic. This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in our four-legged friends.