A piece of coral on top of paper at the start of exposure to UV light, and the resulting finished print.
Cyanotype is one of the earliest forms of photography, invented in the 1840s. Artifacts is a series of cyanotype photograms, contact prints made without a camera. I collect the materials that are the basis for these prints on the same walks that provide inspiration and imagery for my silkscreen prints.
I start by painting a photochemical solution onto watercolor paper in a dimly-lit room. When the paper is dry, I place found objects on top of the paper and secure them in place with a piece of glass. The paper and objects are then exposed to sunlight. The paper is developed in water, creating a print in shades of blue. I rework some prints by bleaching and re-exposing, and I change the color by soaking them in tea, coffee or wine tannin.