BEHIND THE POSTCARD
A Series of Online Photography & Creative Writing Workshops in Response to the Sankey Family Photographic & Postcard collection
The Behind the Postcard group participated in artist-led online workshops and produced creative work in response to The Sankey archive of photography and postcards. The weekly workshops covered different styles of photography, collage, working with found items and creative writing.
Each tutor brought their own practice and perspective to the group. We worked with Robert Parkinson (Photographer), Kate Davies (Writer / Poet) and Suzie Larke (Photographer) as well as Signal Staff members Sophie Broadgate (Filmmaker), Charlotte Davies (Illustrator / Artist) and Julia Parks (Filmmaker / Photographer).
All workshops were held online using equipment that was available to the participants, creating a unique opportunity to hone the craft of image-making and writing without the obstacle of new technology. It challenged the group to re-evaluate their relationship to camera phones, a device often used for snapping quick photos but rarely to capture considered imagery.
Initial workshops built up the group’s skills and allowed them to develop personal styles and ways of working.
Using the Sankey images as a reference the group reflected on how they would like to see our current time represented through image and written word. They created an archive of their own which can be viewed below.
BEHIND THE WINTER PHOTOGRAPH
Hannah Stratton
January 2021
Maybergh Henge, Penrith
a puddle of cloud glass
ice ripples frozen smooth
a map that cracks
etched with contour lines
echoes of foggy cobbles
rocks plucked from the river
placed under the standing stone
the centre of the ring
Enid Milligan
January 2021
Garden, Barrow-in-furness
Facing bravely north,
Fragile fingers grip decay,
Defiant bold red.
Kieran Bennett
January 2021
Yearl Weir, River Derwent
Workington
Calm, but roaring with energy
Tucked away but known by many
Part of local history
That trapped plenty a penny
Mohamed Raafat El-Demerdash
January 2021
The steam yacht Gondola is a rebuilt Victorian, steam-powered passenger vessel on Coniston Water. Originally launched in 1859, she was built for the steamer service carrying passengers from the Furness Railway and from the Coniston Railway. In 1979 she was given a new hull, engine, boiler and most of the superstructure. She is back in service as a passenger boat, still powered by steam and now operated by the National Trust.
Marina Hodgson
January 2021
Bassenthwaite
Warm winter Sun
glistening through branches
sprinkled with snowflakes
Ice cracking on top of the shimmering water
The swans sailing by beneath the white of the hills behind shining brightly
In the midday sun, breathtaking and beautiful
Toes tingling walking through thick snow
Grass peeping through for a glance of that warm winter sun.
Hannah Stratton
January 2021
Maybergh Henge, Penrith
a puddle of cloud glass
ice ripples frozen smooth
a map that cracks
etched with contour lines
echoes of foggy cobbles
rocks plucked from the river
placed under the standing stone
the centre of the ring
Jane Morris
January 2021
Whicham, Millom, Cumbria.
Trees In Winter
Bare branches but still beautiful
Just sleeping through the wind and rain
Blown this way and that by the gales
But still home for the noisy rooks of evening.
Memories of childhood and never failing promises of Spring to come.
