Who I am
My name is Becky Williamson. I moved to Islay from the city in August 2004 and have never looked back. Island life suits me; the scenery is amazing, the air is healthy, the pace of life is ideal and it’s a safe environment for the kids. I enjoy walking, bird-watching and, of course, photography. There are ample photo opportunities here so Islay scenes are featured on a lot of my cards.
I had started to learn Gaelic when I lived on Tiree and my love of the language has never faded. I am continuing to study the language here on this Gaelic speaking island and hope some day to be fluent. I wanted to encapsulate my love of Islay and its native language in the name of my business – hence ‘Solus is Sìth.’ With the help of a Gaelic proverb book I have had fun coupling images with proverbs and produced a range of Gaelic cards.
Living here has helped me appreciate the natural beauty of our world, but also its fragility. I endeavour to leave as small an ecological footprint as possible behind me. That is why I use recycled products in my business whenever I can.
Why ‘Solus is Sìth’?
The sky is big on Islay. Light is always changing – sometimes foreboding, sometimes inviting and sometimes absent for long periods. Living on an island makes you more aware of light, its rise and fall each day, its changing with the seasons and its ability to tranform and create a plethora of colours. There is little light pollution here so we are able to fully appreciate natural light, both its presence and its absence, and I seize every opportunity to photograph its effects.
Anyone who visits Islay will sense the restful peacefulness of the place. Spending time here is therapeutic and soothing. You don’t escape your problems of course but sitting watching the wild Atlantic in a full-blown storm in winter or letting the same tamed waves caress your feet in summer somehow helps to put things in perspective. The lack of noise and the gentle, constant rhythm of the sea create a haven of tranquility.
My faith in God is the driving force behind everything I do. The light and peace which are constantly present in a physical sense on Islay are present in a very real spiritual sense for me too. I’m more aware of God’s presence and his light and peace here in natural surroundings than I was in the concrete jungle where I used to live.
Light and peace - two reasons why I enjoy living here and two reasons why I am glad to bring up my children here - in an atmosphere of safety, energy and freedom. Hopefully the light and peace of this beautiful island is captured in part in my images.