More than a hobby: Photography

Posted July 23rd 2018

The first instalment of More than a hobby meets Glyn. Glyn leads the Ty Canna photography group. Ty Canna is an outreach service and user-led resource centre for people with experience of mental illness, which focusses on recovering through art and aims to improve people's confidence.

My name is Glyn and I’m 32. I live in Cardiff and have done all my life. I’m a fluent Welsh speaker.

I’ve been a peer support worker at Ty Canna, which is based in Canton, for four years. Before I worked in Ty Canna I was a service user and so I have my own lived experience of mental health.

Ty Canna aims to help people overcome isolation, provide information and advice, promote recovery and give them a place to socialise and access to self-help groups and activities.

My work is very important to me and has helped me develop my self in many ways.

Recovery through art

One of the groups I run as part of my role is a photography group.

I have a lot of experience with photography I studied in university towards a Higher National Diploma and have done multiple courses and workshops over the years. I joined the photography group as a service user and enjoyed it immensely. When I started working at Ty Canna I started to run the photography group, which has been running for over five years now.

As we are a Cardiff based team in Ty Canna, I take people in my photography group to places around Cardiff. Places they may have never been to and places that will inspire them, relax them.

Some places you wouldn’t believe are so close to the hustle and bustle of the city.

We are a small group and have about four or five members each week. I provide assistance from a technical side and also from more of a creative side, to help people evolve their skills and eye.

A proud moment

Recently we had an exhibition at Llanover Hall. The exhibition was called Recovery and was on display for a month. Ty Canna is a recovery based service, it’s something we all strive for and aim towards through all our work at Ty Canna.

Working on this project was really amazing. I was so proud with the final pictures they really looked professional and shouted recovery.

We managed to sell over half our photos with the money going back to the artist who took the photo. I was sad to take it down because it looked so good.

Looking to the future I have a few plans for the photography group. Definitely, I want to work towards another exhibition and maybe a few day trips, maybe to Bath or Newport Wetlands.

Photography has been an amazing tool for me to be able to express myself, my creative side.

It gives everyday things more meaning. It serves as a distraction and a valuable tool for my own recovery.

It’s more than just a hobby for me it’s a way to look at the world.

Photos

The images displayed have been shared with permission by the photographers of the Ty Canna group.

Peacock banner image by Glyn.