Young Maker Award Winner: Gwion Peris Roberts
We’re thrilled to announce that Gwion Peris Roberts has been selected as the recipient of the Young Maker Award, presented by Plas Glyn-y-Weddw and Making Little Craft to support emerging makers and craftspeople aged 18–25 from or living in north Wales. As part of the award, Gwion will develop new work for the Coed Coexist exhibition, which will take place at Plas Glyn-y-Weddw from May to July 2026. He will also embark on a week of work experience with established makers, enjoy a week of free studio use, and receive £2,000 to support the creation of his new work for inclusion in the exhibition.
BIOGRAPHY
Born and raised in Waunfawr and now based in Caernarfon, Gwion is a designer and maker whose instinct for creativity has been present since childhood. For him, making and building have always been a natural form of play — from shaping objects out of sand and scrap materials to crafting with whatever was at hand.
Gwion’s creative journey began early, developing through school projects and personal experimentation. Despite challenges faced through dyslexia, his determination and passion for hands-on work guided him toward a path of design and making. He went on to study BSc Product Design at Bangor University, where he thrived in a workshop-focused environment, engaging with live briefs, prototyping, and professional practice.
Particularly drawn to woodworking, Gwion’s practice explores the material’s versatility and expressive potential. His experience includes working with Free Range Designs and Heartwood Saunas near Machynlleth, where he gained valuable insights into the balance between craftsmanship, design, and functionality. He currently works in the family business, Amdro, making campervan furniture, alongside developing Aros Glan Morfa, a glamping site in Caernarfon.
Gwion’s personal projects often involve furniture and small wooden objects, reflecting an experimental approach as he continues to refine his individual style. Influenced by the textural timber work of John Egan and the abstract metal forms of Junko Mori, he is interested in expanding his skills across materials and processes.
Through the Young Maker Award, Gwion will develop a new body of work for Coed Coexist at Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, using materials such as beech wood from a fallen local tree. His work embodies a deep respect for craft, community, and the natural environment — qualities that reflect both his heritage and his evolving identity as a Welsh maker.
IG: @projectauperis
Coed Coexist Project Background
In September 2024, Plas Glyn-y-Weddw in Pen Llŷn undertook a joint project with Japanese artist Junko Mori and her husband, Welsh wood artist John Egan, to deliver the Coed Coexist Symposium, held at Plas Glyn-y-Weddw. The essence of the Coed Coexist project draws our attention to trees and woodland, seeking out wider connections, desires and reliance on these ecosystems while connecting community, creativity and environmental stewardship. The project as a whole aspires to celebrate the local area and the communities based in Pen Llŷn.
Building on the success of the symposium, Junko, John and Plas Glyn-y-Weddw are working to develop the Coed Coexist wider project including this award to support and highlight the wealth of skill, thinking, and imagination of young makers in the craft sector from North Wales.
The awardee is invited to work with and/or respond to wood from a large beech tree that fell in a storm at Plas Glyn-y-Weddw in 2024 for the creation of new work. This tree and its wood are central to the Coed Coexist project both symbolically and physically and the project aspires to inspire and give a platform to the craftsmanship and ingenuity of creatives and thinkers connected to the area.
About the project initiators:
Making Little Craft
Making Little Craft started an event in 2017 at Cwt Tatws in Tudweiliog delivering various craft workshops by a collective of makers, artists, craftspeople and friends all with a passion to spread the desire to use your hands, make and craft. Now led by Llŷn Peninsula residents metalworker Junko Mori and woodworker John Egan, their mission is to promote hands-on activities into modern lifestyles as well as create space for people for cultural get-togethers.
Junko Mori
Junko Mori is a Japanese artist living and working in north Wales. Working primarily in metalwork sculpture, Mori’s works are aggregate pieces usually connected thematically and visually to her observations of living matter, particularly plants. Her choice of metal varies widely from silver to mild steel, as does the size and scale of her works, which range from smaller tabletop pieces to large sculptures. Her distinctive style is one of contrasts and blending, drawing on her metalworking and sculptural education in both Japan and the UK, alongside blurring the boundaries between fine art and craft. Her works are in many international museums, including the British Museum, the National Museum of Scotland and the Honolulu Museum of Art.
John Egan
John’s work is grown out of a deep appreciation of the natural environment, and the design is directly linked to it. He seeks to make beautiful lasting objects and one-off pieces, thereby locking carbon into each object made. He only uses locally sourced material, which means the footprint of every object is small and works in harmony with its surroundings.The environment and his impact on it, are his guiding principles and shape his designs.
Plas Glyn-y-Weddw
Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, located in Llanbedrog on Wales' Llŷn Peninsula, is a Victorian gothic mansion serving as one of Wales' oldest galleries. It offers a diverse arts and culture programme with changing exhibitions, complemented by events and activities for all ages. The gallery, free to enter year-round, has museum accreditation and offers historical rooms alongside temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. The unique café, designed and made by a sculptor alongside its craft shop demonstrates its commitment to showcasing Wales’ craft and design work. The 14 acre woodland, which is part of the original gardens of the Plas is also owned by the charity and includes a network of footpaths open to the public, the main path being part of the Wales Coast Path. Annually, around 140,000 visitors, including locals and tourists, enjoy the venue, benefiting from workshops, performances, and educational programmes tailored for children, adults, and Welsh learners from a nearby language centre. Additionally, it hosts concerts, talks, and larger events, fostering a vibrant cultural hub with widespread community engagement.