Thanks to Kenilworth Artists, four of my prints/collages are now in a pop-up display in the town's busy Talisman Square. My first exhibition, albeit modest. The group gets together and fills empty shop windows with work by local artists. It’s a boon.
Lone Tree
Wet cyanotype and collage
This is an original cyanotype print on high quality matte paper of an original cyanotype collage design.
The original handmade cyanotype of the tree in the landscape was done on quality Hahnemuhle watercolour paper that was treated with light-sensitive materials and exposed to UV to bring out the shades of Prussian blue associated with this form of alternative photography. The stars are formed by scattering the wet print with magnesium flakes and other salts.
Various prints other prints were reworked to create the landscape details of the final collage. The work is 14.5cm high x 20cm wide, and is placed in a white A4 mount.
The cyanotype process was invented by Herschel in 1842 and adopted by the pioneering Anna Atkins, considered to be the first female photographer. It is recognisable for its distinctive dark blue and white highlights which are quite timeless and which look stunning on any wall or setting.
I’ve been trying to find a way to recreate trees and think I have finally succeeded. Expect more collages of ancient trees and woodland now that I’ve got the technique!
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‘Wet’ cyanotype
This is the first of a series of hand-made and original A4 ‘wet’ cyanotype prints of an imagined forest, using ferns, spruce, cow parsley and angelica.
Modern cyanotypes use a mix of substances to create ethereal backgrounds so I had some fun trying to create mystic woodland scenes, lit by moonlight, and filled with possibilities.
It’s printed on quality Hahnemuhle watercolour paper that was treated with light-sensitive materials and exposed to the Warwickshire sunlight to bring out the shades of Prussian blue associated with this form of alternative photography.
Modern cyanotypes use a mix of substances to create ethereal backgrounds so I had some fun trying to create mystic woodland scenes, lit by moonlight, and filled with possibilities.
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Limited edition giclée of an original ‘wet’ cyanotype
This A4 print is a museum quality print on archive paper of an original cyanotype, or 'sun print'.
As such, it is less sensitive to light or damp and can be placed anywhere in the house.
The fern featured is a simple Dryopteris mas. and foraged from woods in Warwickshire.
The swirling background was created by mixing diluted vinegar with crushed rock salt, with a little powdered turmeric to produce some golden flecks.
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‘Wet’ cyanotype, digital negative and collage
This A4 piece uses a variety of techniques, presented in a collage. The central panel is from a digital negative of our local castle, placed on cyanotype paper and exposed to UV. Sprays of cow parsley and angelica represent the fireworks from the popular display over the castle walls. All the ferns and other botanicals were foraged responsibly during dog walks around this splendid monument, one of the most picturesque ruins in England.
The eagle-eyed will spot a hint of a Tudor-style tapestry at the base. This is actually a William Morris tapestry, The Woodpecker, and its ornate patterns evoke the castle’s Elizabethan history.
To my delight, the print appeared in the online version of a local newspaper around Halloween.
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The framed prints are for sale, and will be available once the display ends on March 14.
07874 977892
pamkelt@gmail.com