Thru The Lens Photography Gallery was founded by Andra Milsome in October 2019.
The space was set up by Andra and her co-curator, local photographer Billie Charity to fill a niche in Hay-on-Wye. There are over 15 art galleries in the border book town of Hay, but not one of them shows photography.
Andra Milsome
I was a fashion and music stylist for many years working with some of the best photographers of the 80s inc Nick Knight, Andrew MacPherson, Matt Meuherin, Mike Owen, Peter Ashworth and Shiela Rock.
I have been a passionate photography collector for many years of both vintage & contemporary works.
When I met my cinematographer husband, Mark Milsome, we decided to move to Wales. Following his tragic death whilst shooting on location in 2017, I settled in Hay, launched www.markmilsomefoundation.com and through a series of fortuitous events, ThruTheLens came to fruition.
We are looking forward to many collaborations celebrating a multitude of talent in the future. Please come in & share with us any ideas, your work and visions.
Billie Charity
My photography centres on people. Whether in a formal setting or a candid ‘street’ style, capturing the individual characters I encounter is what drives my passion to take photos. I love travelling and taking street photos, but I also love finding the beauty on my doorstep.
Billie is co-curator at the Thru the Lens photography gallery, and is an award-winning portrait and reportage photographer based in Hay-on-Wye. Her work has been exhibited widely throughout Wales and has regularly featured in the press. 2020 saw the publication of two full length photobooks of Billie’s work, 'People of Hay' and 'Colour', both launched to widespread acclaim, and available from our gallery shop.
daisy ruse
I was born in Hay-on-Wye and moved to Norwich to study Art History and Anthropology at the University of East Anglia. I am now in my final year, and I have spent lockdown in Herefordshire, completing my dissertation and performing the duties of gallery manager at Thru The Lens.
My academic concerns include gender politics, decolonisation, animals in art history and, most especially, the human condition and our relationship with the natural world, delving into how that relationship has manifested in world art and culture.
I am personally interested in storytelling, and the construction and deconstruction of narratives, and how this has been achieved through the lens. After graduation I hope to start a Master’s course in Cultural Heritage and begin writing art criticism professionally – maybe even one day curating my own gallery!
Our contributors
