Left to right, Jordan Burckhardt, Jess Peña, Daniel LoPilato, project director, Sofiya Gladysh, Donovan Lee, Brandon Flores, and Ralph Newlin take part in an informational meeting for the “In the County” community photography program at the Colusa County Arts Council gallery.COLUSA, Calif. (MPG) — The Colusa County Arts Council has launched “In the County”, a community photography program that remains open to new participants following a series of informational meetings that introduced the project earlier this month.
The program invites residents to document everyday life across Colusa County through guided photo walks, workshops, and group discussion. “In the County” runs from February through May 2026 and welcomes participants of all ages and experience levels.
The kickoff meetings included artist talks led by Eliza Gregory, an assistant professor in the photography program at California State University, Sacramento. Gregory outlined the project’s goals and her approach to social practice art, which places relationships and shared experience at the center of creative work.
Gregory grew up in San Francisco and has lived in the Sacramento Valley for about eight years. She said moving from an urban environment into an agricultural region reshaped how she understands place, landscape, and connection.
“The ecosystems are so connected,” Gregory said. “The watersheds, the weather, the history. I’m interested in telling stories that help reconnect those places and the people in them.”
Her background spans literature, creative writing, visual arts, and graduate work in social practice. Gregory said “In the County” grew from conversations about how to better support emerging artists while responding to interest in expanded arts programming in Colusa County.
Each year, Gregory works with graduating photography students who want to use their skills professionally but often lack clear pathways into teaching or community based work. Through discussions with Arts Council staff and local partners, the idea emerged to connect recent graduates with Colusa County residents interested in photography.
“I have teaching artists and not enough opportunities,” Gregory said. “Colusa County has interest and not enough instructors. This project connects that supply and demand.”
“In the County” includes a series of guided group photo walks held at locations throughout the county. Participants may use digital cameras, film cameras, or cell phones. Editing workshops will introduce basic image editing using
Adobe Lightroom, and those interested in film photography will have access to the Arts Council darkroom for black and white 35mm film development.
“We’re calling it a community photography project because it’s really about helping people connect to landscapes and think about how we live and work around land in Colusa County,” said Project Director Daniel LoPilato. “Photography is the tool, but the focus is on exploration and engagement.”
LoPilato said the program is designed to be accessible rather than technical. The Arts Council will provide film cameras for participants who want to experiment with analog photography.
“This is not a professional level class,” LoPilato said. “If someone wants to use their phone, that’s completely fine. The goal is to get people looking closely and documenting what catches their attention.”
A key element of the program is the involvement of emerging teaching artists who will each lead at least one instructional session under Gregory’s mentorship. Instructors include Jess Peña, Brandon Flores, Sofiya Gladysh, and Jordan Burckhardt, all recent photography graduates.
Peña said she was drawn to the project’s community based focus. She currently works at a community college and said “In the County” aligns with her interest in education and outreach.
“I really liked that it involved community based projects,” Peña said. “That’s something I’m already involved in, so this felt like a natural fit.”
Flores said the program offers a practical introduction to teaching while working with a wide range of skill levels.
“Becoming an instructor is like getting your toes wet,” Flores said. “You’re learning how to interact with a group of people and figure out how to meet everyone where they’re at.”
Gladysh said she was excited to explore a new area while building connections with local residents.
“Everyone we met was really friendly,” she said. “It’s been fun interacting with the community, sharing our work, and helping others discover their own vision for photography.”
Burckhardt described the opportunity as unusual for recent graduates.
“When you graduate, you’re not usually given opportunities right away,” Burckhardt said. “If you’re interested in teaching, this is a really good start.”
Several instructors said they are eager to learn from Colusa County residents as much as they teach. They cited the county’s landscapes, wildlife, and history as strong visual subjects, from flooded fields and migrating birds to downtown details that change with the seasons.
At the conclusion of the program, participants will collaborate on a community produced photo zine and a gallery exhibition scheduled to open in summer 2026 at the Arts Council gallery. Each participant will contribute work to the final project.
Registration for “In the County” remains open, with options to join the full program or individual sessions. More information, including schedules and registration details, is available at http://colusa-arts.org/programs/in-the-county.