Portmeirion

• ISBN: 9781845274078
• Rob Piercy
• Publication July 2012
• Format: Hardback, 216x262 mm, 128 pages
  

This English-language book reflects the undemanding concepts of Portmeirion - Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, the gifted creator of the village, himself described his intentions as being of a \'gay, light-opera sort of approach\'. Rob Piercy - who has grown up in the area - has created a personal, light-hearted insight into his Portmeirion. (Welsh-language version also available: 9781845273781

Portmeirion is a painter and a poet’s view of the iconic Italianate village on the north Wales coast. Portmeirion is one of the most well-known visitor attractions of Wales, and there has been so much written about it, along with images of the village – including the 1960s TV series ‘The Prisoner’ – that at first glance it\'s hard to imagine any book being able to bring anything new.

With his painter’s eye and his experience of growing up near Portmeirion, Rob Piercy does just that. This is a very personal view of the village and its surroundings, from tales of dodging the tides to sneak into the village as a boy, to intriguing discussions of the fall of light during the differing seasons.

Accompanying the text, Rob Piercy’s paintings are beautifully reproduced by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, inviting the eye to return to them again and again. Many capture the intensity of colour of the individual buildings, others a stunning vision of Portmeirion within its mountain landscape. Most intriguing of all are the more unexpected images: from the tiny, playful details of the buildings, to the tangled branches of the ‘Gwyllt’, the Wilderness, and sketches of visitors with their obvious enjoyment of the village and its grounds.

The Welsh poetry of Myrddin ap Dafydd, with its accompanying explanations in English, give an added dimension, with its flavour of the Welsh language and culture of this uniquely Welsh Italianate village set within the rugged mountains of Snowdonia.

Portmeirion is a book that will delight both those who know the village and its grounds well, and those who have yet to visit. As an introduction, it provides both a personal response and a clear explanation of architect Clough Williams-Ellis’ vision of his creation and his methods of working, alongside a sense of the atmosphere of Portmeirion. To those familiar with the village, the book gives a new perspective, introducing details that are so easily missed and drawing attention to the lesser-known parts, such as the wilderness area.