Grug Muse is a poet and essayist from Dyffryn Nantlle. Day-to-day she works as a writer, editor and freelance facilitator. Her latest collection of poetry – merch y llyn – was published by Cyhoeddiadau’r Stamp in 2021 won the poetry category of Wales Book of the Year 2022. Grug’s essays have been published in magazines including Planet and O’r Pedwar Gwynt.
She is an editor for Cyhoeddiadau’r Stamp, and a co-edited a collection of essays, Welsh (Plural): Essays on the Future of Wales, that was published by Repeater in spring 2022.
“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to learn from experienced facilitators, and from other practitioners, and I hope the program will help me develop my knowledge and experience of how to use literature as a way of discussing, understanding and coping with difficult situations and experiences.”
Grug’s Project
Project Title: Dan yr Wyneb
Participants: Welsh speakers and learners in rural areas
Partner: Powys Libraries Service
Project description
A well-being project for Welsh speakers and learners within rural north Powys to combat isolation and support community cohesion. Using the Celf ar y Cyd collection, the workshop explored the idea of water, and what happens below and above the surface to talk about feelings. The workshops included:
- Taking inspiration from a series of pictures of different people or creatures in water, from swimmers to birds, from photographs to abstract paintings.
- Write about the picture from a different angle or framing, thinking about the effect of that change in perspective.
Feedback
“It’s a nice feeling to be able to communicate with someone who understands how important it is to be able to write, especially about feeling.”
“Feeling better about who I am and being okay with enjoying myself”
“Engaging with people. Doing things that are interesting. Doing new things/in new ways a great opportunity”