Spotlight on Sanquhar
‘So It Is’ was an exhibition of photographic work by What We Do Now artists Saskia Coulson and Colin Tennant.
The images were on display at A’ the Airts in Sanquhar and had been created over the past two years while Saskia and Colin have been leading the camera club as part of a digital youth programme. The work captured what it is like to be a young person growing up in a rural area in South West Scotland and was part of the annual Sanquhar Arts Festival in May 2023.
Documentarian Patrick Rooney visited Sanquhar to find out more about the exhibition from Colin and Saskia, and to discover from the young participants of the camera club about what it was like to be involved in the project and the inspiration behind their work.
“The camera club has been really important to some of the young people that live in Sanquhar. I think that for a lot of the young people that we worked with, especially last year, it was pretty life changing for them. A lot of them went on to study filmmaking and photography because they found this passion that the camera club provided for them.”
Saskia Coulson
“I love coming to photography club. It’s my favourite thing of the week and also being able to take cameras home across the week to be able to do your own photography in your own time is just great. I just love coming here every week because Colin and Saskia are just the best instructors. “
Edward from the camera club