summers wasting (incredible rattail)
cyanotype on paper, 42 x 42, 2014
evening moon
cyanotype and collage, 42 x 42 inches, 2014
midnight garden
cyanotype, gouache, spray enamel, and collage, 52 x 42 inches, 2014
dreaming of myself as two people
cyanotype and gouache, 52 x 42 inches, 2014
My work illustrates a fantastic landscape. It represents nature’s subtle way of dealing with the peculiar aspects in the relationship with mankind. A giant glow-in-the-dark heart, or a pile of precious gems tells us that we are loved, just as blood squirting from an oak tree trunk says, all is not well. I am inspired by my conversation with the landscape, I imagine long monologues when pine forests make me laugh and mountains test my patience.
My paintings are created with a photochemical process known as cyanotype. The cyanotype is a civil war era process that when exposed to sunlight and developed gives a vibrant blue image. I paint with this light sensitive medium directly on paper or canvas. With everyday items such as baking soda, bleach and peroxide I am able to achieve a range of colors and textures through controlled chemical reactions. I repeat this process adding many layers until the image is fully realized, often finishing with watercolor painting or a collage element.
