Christina Dembinska has been installing her own handmade stained glass windows in abandoned buildings for the past three years, giving them new life.
The 63-year-old's passion for giving lonely, abandoned buildings a second chance and inspiring bystanders is fueled by the history behind them.
Prior to focusing on the best locations to exhibit her works, Christina began the Guerrilla art project in 2020 while pursuing an MA in Glass.
Where was I going to put them? I loved making stained glass windows, she lamented.
"And then I got this crazy idea to put them in abandoned buildings," she continued. The background of them really piqued my interest.
Christina claimed that she has always been fascinated by Wales despite residing and working in London.
Both her grandfather and grandmother were born in Holyhead, and her grandmother was from Monmouth.
When she arrived and saw the hills, she remarked, "Something happens.".
"There are a lot of abandoned buildings in Wales, and I'm intrigued to wonder who lived there and what happened there.".
Two old farm buildings on the edge of the Ceredigion Hafod Estate were fitted with her first installations.
Christina expressed her hope that her work might contribute in some small way to the preservation of historic structures.
A stained glass window is merely a small item. But perhaps just having it there brings it back to life in some way," she speculated.
It's a really lovely medium. It just sings when the light comes through.
By drawing attention to the structure, perhaps it will pique someone's interest, leading them to learn more about the location's past.
Her creative process includes research because she wants to make sure the window is appropriate for its setting.
I frequently insert song lyrics or other text into them. The glass can have inscriptions that relate to the neighborhood or tell the history of the structure.
The majority of her glass pieces are displayed in outlying areas and in deteriorating quarries and abandoned farm buildings, among other types of structures.
It implies that some of her work might go unnoticed by the majority, but Christina thinks that's part of the allure.
"I like hearing that someone just happened to see one of the windows," said the person. You begin to wonder if anyone will see them as they get farther away, she said.
But I find it interesting that people do, You're unaware of how many people wander aimlessly through isolated areas.
Unfortunately, some of her pieces do get damaged or destroyed, as was the case with her installation at Dinorwic Quarry, close to Llanberis.
I was a little upset the first time it occurred, she admitted.
But then I realized that you can no longer protect it once it is there. It is almost a part of the project now.
"There is something about how delicate it is. Both the building and the glass are breakable.
Her work has, however, generally received favorable reviews.
In some instances, she has even forged relationships with residents of the neighborhood.
I once wrote a letter to a man whose building I had installed a window in. He responded to my letter and told me the story behind it.
He had inherited the property from his grandfather, a miner, and the two of them had previously farmed the land together.
Since he is elderly and it is located at the top of a steep hill, he was unable to visit it anymore, but it brought back many memories for him.
''A lot of lovely things have happened in similar ways as a result of the arts.
In a slate valley close to Machynlleth, one of her larger installations was located at the ruins of an 1870s-era chapel.
She walked by the structure and then stopped at one of the few nearby homes.
She was told by the residents, Sarah Samson and Steve Watkins, about their plans to restore the chapel and the work they had done to prepare it for its 150th anniversary.
They worked with Christina to install the windows in an effort to return it to the neighborhood.
Wales has a rich history, Sarah remarked. Everyone needs to take a look at it and ask themselves, "What are we going to do with it that is relevant?".
A person cares, and someone wants this place to be known, according to Christina's work.
The Valley's residents now gather there once a year to celebrate Christmas thanks to the chapel's clearing.
The Grade I-listed Gwrych Castle, close to Abergele, Conwy, was purchased in 2018 by Dr. Mark Baker, an architectural historian from Conwy who also founded the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust.
He said, "It was a desire on my part to try to restore somewhere and give something back to my community.".
We've had I'm a Celebrity at the Castle for a while, and it has garnered worldwide attention. All of this attracts tourists to north Wales and the surrounding area.
He argued that greater Welsh government involvement is needed to preserve historic structures.
"There are a wide range of properties that are at risk, and I believe that how these are protected should be reviewed.".
In Wales, the system is frequently ineffective because many local governments prioritize other priorities over culture and conservation because of limited funding.
Therefore, historic structures and their preservation are frequently the first things to suffer budget cuts.
According to the Welsh government, it recognizes "positive action communities can take to protect and preserve what matters to them.".
"Cadw supports this activity through its capital grant program and grant aid it provides to organizations like the Architectural Heritage Fund.
Christina thinks that using art can encourage people to support the preservation of Wales' historic buildings.
"I believe that one of the purposes of art is to provoke thought, call attention to something, or cause you to reexamine something.
That might be enough to make you curious about these buildings.
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