North Wales Young Artist Creates Thought-Provoking Work on Homelessness

Life hasn’t always been easy for 19-year-old Freya Rees, but for many years, art has been a constant source of calm, expression and hope in her life. For Freya, who has struggled with prolonged illness throughout her childhood, creating art has become much more than a hobby; providing an outlet for her emotions, capturing joy, determination and optimism.

Recently, Freya proudly unveiled a piece of bespoke artwork, designed to hang in pride of place in housing association ClwydAlyn’s head office, complete with a plaque to acknowledge Freya’s dedication and creativity.

Said Freya who worked hard to achieve an A* in her Art GCSE and A and A* in Art and Graphic Design A Levels: “From a young age I have always been drawn to the creative side of life. A lot of my art focuses on the theme of mental health; as this was something I have struggled with and felt passionately about. I enjoy creating pieces that have meaning and purpose to them.”

At 11 years of age, Freya was diagnosed with a chronic illness and subsequently spent a lot of time in hospitals. At the age of 17, she began living independently in her own home and unfortunately faced significant stress and trauma. She has used her experiences as creative fuel for her artwork, much of which has been focused on time she spent in hospital and related to the support services she has been helped by.

In recent times, Freya was supported by Early Intervention Officer at ClwydAlyn Lindsay Wright, who instantly recognised Freya’s artistic ability. Said Lindsay: “When I saw Freya’s talent for art, I felt a deep sense of admiration and pride. It reminded me how powerful art can be at any age; how important it is to encourage and nurture people’s talents. I felt grateful to have witnessed such a genuine talent.”

Adding: “The art that Freya created for ClwydAlyn is truly impressive. Her work beautifully portrays the values that ClwydAlyn stands for, while adding her own unique twist and personal interpretation.”

Such is Freya's talent the large canvas she painted on the subject of homelessness is now proudly displayed in the ClwydAlyn head office at St Asaph.

Freya has ambitions to work within the creative industry. She is currently volunteering and working with local organisations to design artwork, cards and posters. Said Freya: “I am so happy to see my piece on display at ClwydAlyn, in a place where it can be enjoyed by others.

“My hopes are to have a job where I can be involved in the creative process. I think it’s important to throw yourself into whatever opportunities arise in life; you never know what doors may open!

“Coming from a tough background has made me resilient and motivated to work hard to achieve what I want.”

With a passion for transforming challenges into meaningful outcomes, Freya is currently exploring new ways to use her talent for good. She’s creating another large canvas for CAHMS at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, has an ongoing project to create welcoming pieces for Glan Clwyd Childrens’s Ward, is designing Christmas cards for Ramblers Cymru and is part of a project to design suicide awareness artwork for the local community. All of this, in addition to planning a stall at The Artisan Christmas Market at Queens Market in Rhyl.

Said Sian Williams, Executive Director of People, Culture and Communications at ClwydAlyn: “Freya is undoubtedly a very talented young artist. Coupled with her tenacity and determination, I am sure she will realise her dream of working in a creative role! We feel honoured to have a piece of Freya’s beautiful artwork on the wall here at our ClwydAlyn head office!

Concluded Lindsay: “Freya’s art has a special way of expressing ideas and emotions that words sometimes can’t. Her creativity is a gift that grows stronger the more she uses it; it’s not just something she’s good at, it is part of who she is. I hope that Freya keeps exploring, experimenting, and trusting her imagination.”