I’m really happy with the way the cyanotype exhibition went. My pricing structure is very reasonable and so lots of pieces sold. The unframed prices are A4 – 25€, A3 – 50€ and A2 – 100€. Please get in touch if you see a piece you like and want to take advantage of these special birthday prices. It made me feel good to make the artwork accessible by being affordable and that the artwork is going out to live in the world. As the show is photographic prints, I can make more. They won’t ever be identical but that doesn’t matter.

 

The artwork comes alive when it is put in a frame, it also starts it true potential when it leaves the makers studio and is hung in the neutral setting of the white gallery space. It was only once the show was hung could I really appreciate what I had made.

Art Magic!

Like in the flamenco dance, the duende (or spirit) doesn’t always enter the body of the dancer. I have been aware of the duende for many years and try to capture or channel it when I make my art. For me, it’s like when a piece has something magic about it. When I looked at the exhibition, all nicely arranged, and looked closer at individual pieces, I did wonder how I even made some of them.

 

What is a Cyanotype?

I did a lot of explaining about what a cyanotype is. I got my patter down to something like this: They are the original Blue Prints from architectural plans. I described the process of making them in a dark room, of laying enlarged negatives and botanicals onto a surface painted with light sensitive emulsion and making a contact print in the sunshine. I think I may give some lessons and teach people how to make them, as it is such an interesting and enjoyable process. These are the fridge magnets in the process of being made.

 

Spring Art

The content of the show is very much about spring time. It was a long hard winter this year and all the wild spring flowers, that I see on my dog walk everyday, bring me so much joy that I just wanted to make some art that reflected this. One of the central pieces is called Yearning for Springtime, the nude figure has a chain skirt which is about being chained in life, she looks off up in a dreamlike way and is covered in little pimpernels. Here is an image of it being made, I exposed her 3 times.

 

This multi panelled piece is called Dead Soldier’s Dream. It is toned with coffee to give it a darker hue.