Cyanotypes
Velvet Universe Cyanotype Series
This collection of cyanotypes is a collaborative venture with nature, capturing the fluid motion of the waves and the ocean's innate rhythm and expression. Engaging in the physical act of leaping into the waves with paper in hand, I playfully navigate the inherent unpredictability shaped by the interplay of the ever-shifting elements: the sun, the tides, my timing. Amidst the dynamic energy and vibrancy of Northern California's coastline, the resulting beauty is manifested through an interplay of colors and patterns.
The cyanotype process is a camera-less contact printing process, where the object comes in direct contact with light sensitive material. The process was originally used to study and record plants and flowers most significantly by Anna Atkins, an English botanist and photographer.
The profound blue tones in these prints evoke the boundless depths of the sea and the mesmerizing expanse of a star-filled night sky, thereby inspiring the title of this series: the Velvet Universe. I call it shadow work: bringing light into the darkness and darkness into the light.
