Secret History Projects

Welcome to the landing page for my secret history projects. These projects weave together the tenuous threads of history, both from books and archives.

The most recent and ongoing project is ‘The Bigger Picture’ run by the RCA in Conwy that has focused on Conservation in all its forms.

As part of this project I have produced a piece of art that uncovers the history of a National Trust house and displays it as a time tunnel. To me history is one large picture with subtle details rather than just linear happenings, so I wanted to produce something that portrayed this concept.

Our family historian Wendy Livingstone joined me on this journey and we spent the summer studying books, records and archives trying to fill the gaps where there was little or no information and clarifying what had already been written. The history of course threw up challenges and we found many accounts contradictory and or difficult to locate.

During the 4 month project we encountered some interesting facts and found ourselves entwined with the ancestors of Conwy and in particular the residents of the house.

Though I wasn’t born in Conwy Town I am a local to North Wales and the town was always a favourite destination for a day out. It’s rich heritage and turbulent history enthralled me as a child.

Heritage is for the future as well as a window into the past and this was one of the reasons I wanted to be involved and to see Aberconwy house open and back on the cultural trail for locals and visitors alike.

My interpretation of the National Trusts TY Aberconwy encompasses the history of the house and elements of the town in one picture. The layers of the artwork represent the chapters in the story and 600 + years of history.

So come on a journey into the world of heritage interpretation and secret history. The journal gives an introduction to the project. You can also scroll down to the video that explains the project, research and artistic process involved.