Image credit: Arwel Rhys Thomas – Art Design Cymru. Available as artwork on his website.
During lockdown, many of us needed to take up some sort of hobby or activity in order to pass the time and make the days go quicker. For Welsh artist Arwel Thomas, this helped plant the seeds of what would become his flourishing future business: Art Design Cymru.
Lifelong aspiring artist Arwel did a BA Honours degree Illustration at the University of Gloucestershire, after carrying a passion and desire to draw all throughout his childhood and teenage years.
“My love of illustration first came from just being very interested in doodling as a child, and my love for the Welsh landscape and culture is primarily one of the main influences for the iconic landmark illustrations” he told me. “I always want to draw them in the same way you’d want to photograph them”.
He quickly went from sharing his work through art websites to creating his own website, Art Design Cymru, and subsequent shop as a result of the positive feedback he had received.
During lockdown, he was finally able to combine his love for sport and his passion for illustrating by creating pieces based on famous sports venues such as the Principality Stadium. “I decided to give it a go and so far it seems to have been a real hit with clubs from all around the UK”.
“Eventually, smaller community-based clubs started to contact me over Twitter to create pieces based on their club’s pitches and I thought ‘why not?’. I feel as though it’s important to give back to grassroots clubs and it’s always nice to talk to owners, who are always willing to let me work in and around the grounds.”
“It’s also nice to be able to talk to fans of these clubs to really get a feel of what the club means to the wider community, which also helps the product be the best it can be.”
Customers can even request a piece to be made on a location of their choosing, and Arwel says this has been a game changer for his business. “It has allowed me to meet some great people and travel to fantastic places which I might not have thought about covering before. There’s always a level of personalisation with those pieces which I really do enjoy.”
The success of his business has even allowed him to travel overseas to showcase and sell his work. “I’ve had the privilege of working with some great clubs so far. My biggest highlight of 2021 was being able to travel to the iconic stadium Eden Park in New Zealand. I’m really looking forward to expanding the portfolio and hopefully the business in 2022.”
It would come as no surprise if Arwel’s business further blossomed this year and in years to come, as he looks to expand his artworks to venues in England, having recently illustrated stadiums such as Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge. The sky seems to be the limit for Arwel and Art Design Cymru.
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