A "rock canon" hole was used as inspiration

Llechi - or slate - at the Galeri, Caernarfon is the result of a year-long residency at a quarry by two artists from Gwynedd.

Dyfrig Peris and Maia Conran's take on slate has already been shown at the National Eisteddfod, as well as at various community projects.

Now they have produced a DVD presentation of their achievements.

Mr Peris, 24, said: "We've updated part of the work we showed at the eisteddfod, combining four minutes of film and animation showing the work we did during the year long residency at the Dinorwig quarry in Llanberis."

He and Maia Conran, 27, from Mynydd Llandygai near Bangor, had applied independently for the residency at the National Museum of Wales.

The post is arranged through Artworks Wales - the national organisation for public art in Wales.

Mr Peris, from Penygroes near Caernarfon, said the fact they shared the experience turned out to be a benefit.

"As it was the first residency for both of us it was nice to have someone else there as support," he said.

Maia Conran and Dyfrig Peris (right) and friend shelter under the Bondo

During their year, they constructed a slate "tree" with disabled people at Antur Waunfawr and worked on an animation with school children in Brynrefail.

The artists also produced a DVD presentation which was shown at the eisteddfod, as well as an unique slate "shelter" called the Bondo for the eisteddfod field.

'Different notes'

At the quarry, Mr Peris' work on part of the rock-face started a fascination with rock cannons.

Holes of varying depths were drilled in the slate face before explosives were packed in to them to dislodge more of the slate.

"These holes have different 'notes' because they are of varying depths, and so for this continuation of our work I asked a percussionists from Catalan called Pau to work with me setting different 'tones' to the various holes," said Mr Peris.

This, along with abstract images created on the rock face, form the basis of the animation in the current work.

Iwan Bala, who is in charge of special projects at Artworks Wales, said: "This exhibition gives them a change to show again the work they produced during their residency."

It will also show other public art Artworks Wales has sponsored over the past 10 years.

Llechi opens to the public from 12 January to 11 March.