The Bard

Description

This is the last image for the poem ‘Cerridwen and Gion’ by Sean Mychael Rice. It is the boy Gion reborn as Taliesin the bard of bards. He sits in the sacred grove and shares songs with fae and friends, bringing forth joy to all.

And as the day turns into night
And night becomes the morn,
Everything that turns to dust
Is again reborn.

Gwion then, his form renewed,
Again, was born a boy
And as a poet he gained fame –
His words brought tears and joy.
(Cerridwen and Gion by Sean Mychael Rice)

The image was first conceived in the Middle of 2020, at the height of summer but then took two lockdowns and the whole of a winter season before I finished it. I often wonder why it took so long and have decided I was too sad and missing life too much to work with it, not quite believing we were going to come out the other side. It wasn’t till Imbolc 2021 I felt it possible we would meet again to share songs and stories to experience life as community and I could return to the bard.
The Bard is a celebration of shared life and experiences with tribe and community … a celebration of folk gathering around fire-pits and in summer fields or wooded groves, to tell tales, share songs and listen to music. It reminds me to always believe we will merry meet, and merry part and merry meet again.