THIS year's National Eisteddfod Chair is presented for a poem or collection of poems in cynghanedd, of no more than 250 lines, entitled Gorwelion (Horizons).

The adjudicators are Myrddin ap Dafydd, Llion Jones and Ieuan Wyn.

The Chair is sponsored by the Caernarfonshire and Denbighshire branches of the Farmers Union of Wales, and the financial prize is donated in memory of poet Gwynfor ab Ifor by his family.

Gwenan Jones, a young woman from the Eisteddfod area, is responsible for designing and creating the Chair.

She said: “It has been such an honour to design and create a Chair for the National Eisteddfod, especially with the festival being held locally.

"I appreciate the opportunity and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“The River Conwy and the county’s industries have inspired the design.

"The river is the backbone of the county, flowing from its source at Llyn Conwy on the Migneint Mountain to the estuary in Conwy, and it is seen running down the two shepherd’s sticks that form the side of the Chair.

"The shape of the stick reflects the county’s agricultural background and the river flows brown to reflect the peatland of the area.”

At the top of both front legs, a slate bed was laid from Cwm Penmachno Quarry, framed by embedded layers of copper.

The writing and date are also set in copper.

“I thought it was important to use different materials from the Conwy county area, so local slate and copper are prominent, as there is a historic copper quarry at the Great Orme, Llandudno.

"The copper is also visible on the Nod Cyfrin on the back panel of the Chair.

“In addition, the town of Llanrwst is visually important, and the town bridge, with its contrast of circular and angular shapes inspired the design of the two front legs.

"I have also created a statue of the bridge on the back panel of the Chair: it has a white finish to reflect the techniques of lime construction and old cement. Then, three coloured veins run from the back of the chair, aiming for three arches of the bridge

and extending into the horizon.

"By following the coloured veins, which represent the language, up the Chair, we have a sense of searching for the horizon, which is a reflection of the written text of this year’s Chair.”

Gwenan used a contemporary clear resin technique to create to create the seat, with two bits of oak with raw sides reflecting the banks of the River Conwy.

Between the two pieces of wood, she has clustered stones from the river, from the source to the waterfront, representing the whole county.

Fish are locked in the resin, symbolising river and country life.

The Chair was hand-made by Gwenan at her workplace in Maerdy, Corwen.