Art

There has been a tradition in the slate communities of carving slate.  Competitions have been held at eisteddfodau for hobbyists wishing to compete.  

In addition to the local tradition of hobbyists within the community working with slate, there is a significant arts and crafts sector which uses slate as its raw material.  Most of the artists and craft workers in the sector are based in, or originated from, the Welsh slate areas.

Some of the slate companies attempted to diversify into the sector, or have used this as a means of adding glamour to the material.

Most of those involved in the slate art and crafts sector are very small, often one-person, enterprises.

Slate Enamelling

Slate enamelling was very popular by the early 1880's and many prizes were offered at the National Eisteddfod held at Caernarfon, that year.

The winner of the silver medal and prize of £2.00 for carving a tablet of slate 36 inches x 14 inches with the motto 'Y gwir yn erbyn y Byd' on it was Edward Jones, of Bangor. A slate table with a carving of Caernarfon Castle on it was presented for the state room of the the chief officer of the Clio Training Ship moored in the Menai Strait, because the ship's band had played at the festival.