This exhibition brings together the work of two artists who have strong ties to the western shores of these islands. One is from northern Ireland, the other from north Wales, and they now live in Cardiff. Both have wooden cabins in Cenarth to which they escape from the city, but only one is a fisherman. Fate would have it that they became neighbours in this rural retreat, and their many conversations led to this exhibition.

Adams creates organic vessels in clay, inspired by nature – Bala has for some time been drawing ‘vessels’ which symbolise travel or containment. They might be cauldrons of re-birth, or coracles; more recently he began to draw maps of imagined journeys. The surfaces of Adams’ vessels and plates also resemble topographic maps of rugged terrain, landscapes viewed from above.

Many of Iwan Bala’s paintings and drawings in this exhibition feature in his recently published book “Hon, Ynys y Galon” (Island of the Heart) (Gomer Press). He exhibits widely in Wales and abroad and writes on art; a series of works “Mappa Mundi” were recently purchased for the National Museum, Cardiff by the Derek Williams Trust.

Billy Adams exhibits worldwide and his work is held in many public and private collections, including Stoke on Trent Contemporary Ceramics Museum, the Crawford Museum, Cork and Newport Museum and Art Gallery. Adams lectures at Barry College and Bala has recently been appointed to lecture in Fine Art at Trinity College, Carmarthen.

This exhibition is a celebration of two disciplines, and their engagement with ancient themes associated with travel. The artists have been on separate journeys in their work and in their lives, in “Maps and Vessels” their paths converge. This is a meeting place