Project – 8

One.

Your practice is now telling a strong narrative concerning human and nature interaction. I love the found objects, especially the feathers. The documentation of your process is good too; the photographic evidence gives a real sense of place. I love some of these images of the found objects submerged in the river water as you can see the reflection of the sky too – this adds a sense of vastness. Have you found any other artists making cyanotypes or images in botanical drawing books that would complement you work? I feel this work would sit well in an exhibition documenting man’s or indeed woman’s’ understanding of nature. Your cyanotypes remind me of a modern version of explorers work like Maria Sibylla Merian and her work on metamorphosis. The grey cyanotypes are suggestive of a decaying world.

They are full of texture and sorrow. My favourite piece is the 3^rd along once you’ve washed them in river water. I can see the fragile wings of a butterfly. The pale violet hues are good too. Did they come from the cyanotype process or have you added colour after? I think your write up is clear too, I particularly like your reference to natural stamps.

Two.

  I have looked at this over and over – the images you have produced are mesmerising. You have produced them as cyanotypes – a process I have never tried and know little about except that it includes exposing to the sun; but they tell your story, that dichotomy between beauty and unease, so evocatively. Your method of immediate, direct, hands-on involvement with your subject is backed up by the contextual explanation and photos you include – it is all so personal, art made by you and the river. This context makes sense of the cyanotypes – one can understand them and begin to spot items, eg the feathers, within. It would be interesting also to show them without the background story, I wonder what people would see in them – personally, I see rock formations, geological slides, maybe fossils.

  I don’t have another artist to suggest whose work is so immediately involved in the environment they are representing apart from Lydia Halcrow, which you already know about; there’s Anselm Kiefer of course, whose work is totally bound up with the material properties of whatever he uses – but he’s telling a very different story.

  It’s made me want to rush out and grab some leaves and sticks from the garden, and a sheep skull from the moor, and see what I can do with them – I feel impelled to action. First I need to learn how to make a cyanotypes, though…

Three.

This is a really lovely piece.

Your personal connection shines through and the beautiful pieces you are creating with the found objects and the river water are so fragile and delicate looking, possibly reflecting your relationship with the river?

As someone who has no idea how you create cyanotypes, I would love to see more ‘zoomed out’ photos showing your process (but that would be more for my personal interest, I am sure most people reading the post will understand how you have created them.)

Well done.

Four.

I really like the way the images develop from the initial exposure to the final washes and that each add a layer of further abstraction.  The final series has a sense of emotion/something captured from the water.   I also really like that you have used the river water that has been such a challenge.  I also like the more defined against the soft marks.  It’s interesting to see how you are developing this theme and your own interactions with the water and the objects.

Five.

Really clear blog, your statement feels clearer and I have a greater understanding of what you want to express in these work. 

The process is fascinating (I haven’t tried cyanotypes so I’m not very familiar with it). I actually really like the grey effect and wonder if you could have left some of the pieces in this state. Maybe presenting a grey one alongside a further developed one? 

The second stage produces the blue effect that we associate with cyanotypes, which also reflects the sense of water very well. I am most drawn to ones which have subtle shifts in colour, the version with pinkish hues for example. These shifts offer another dimension of interest and uncertainty. 

Your images of the works are very clear but I would be interested in seeing the edges of the paper – are they slightly decked or torn? If so this would heighten the sense of fragility and effect of water on the material. Just a suggestion but might be something to explore! 

Really fascinating work as always Viv 

Six.

When an artist authentically conveys their feelings—particularly frustration, anger, and confusion—it deeply resonates within their artwork. I can sense that your work captures these powerful emotions, and they shine through in your creations. Your pieces tell a compelling story about the intricate relationship between humans and nature. The cyanotypes you’ve created reflect your enjoyment in the process, showcasing a vibrant exploration of light and shadow that brings your vision to life. Cyanotypes present a fascinating challenge, especially when it comes to achieving the delicate balance between the flow of water and the final image result. It’s truly impressive how you’ve navigated this intricate process to produce such a compelling outcome. However, I can’t help but wonder—have you considered enriching your work with a broader spectrum of colours? Relying solely on monochromatic tones can often constrain the emotional depth and story you aim to convey. Infusing more vibrant hues could elevate your pieces, adding layers of complexity and creativity that enhance the narrative you wish to portray. While it may not be feasible to incorporate more colours into the cyanotype process itself, there are exciting ways to expand your creative horizons. You could step outside your comfort zone and integrate elements like drawing, textiles, or digital art into your work. Exploring mixed media techniques could open up new avenues for expression and add intriguing dimensions to your pieces. Embracing these diverse methods might allow you to tell a richer, more vibrant story through your art.I truly admire how you incorporated a multitude of detailed photographs into your final project. This thoughtful inclusion not only enriches the overall presentation but also plays a vital role in helping viewers grasp the context and scenario you aim to portray. The visual depth you’ve created allows the audience to connect more profoundly with your narrative, enhancing their understanding of the circumstances you wish to convey. It’s a powerful way to evoke emotion and invite reflection through your art.

Seven.

I’d first like to say how much I enjoyed looking at the photographs and cyanotypes. It is difficult to equate these beautiful images with the same substance that causes so much destruction when we can’t control or direct it.

I really think the cyanotypes are beautiful and the grey ones contrast well with the blue. I am wondering how much control you have over the process ?

Other questions would be,….

Is this a time based process where you are documenting on a daily/weekly/monthly basis?  Do you document the changes to the water/weather 

Do you gather everything that you are able to when collecting the objects or do you choose the ones you are drawn to?

How are you going to bring all your work together ?

I apologise if these are silly questions

 I’m just curious.

I am also wondering if you ever use video in your work as I can see that you enjoy using photographic processes.

I never realised you did open water swimming, wow you are brave!

I wish I could write intelligently about people’s work but I am not good at it but I can say that I really like your work and would like to see it in person one day 🙂

Eight.

Interesting, engaging work! It is the layering of these images that I find intriguing. I particularly like it when I can see depth that the colour changes bring to the work alongside the objects – so of the last 4 finished images, no 1 and 4 are particularly strong in this regard (in my opinion anyway). I realise that the objects are less distinct in no4 but the edges of the blue and white over the grey suggest flow and in some ways layers of ice – a sort of entrapment. No 3 is more submerged, full flood, which given your topic may be of more interest to you. I like the shapes that have emerged in this one, the remind me of plankton, but the less layered look doesn’t hold my intrigue as much as the others. The intermediate stages are also very interesting and have some great shapes and negative spaces going on- presumably if you just left these to dry at that stage they would over-develop? I thought your explanation of your intentions clear, but in terms of following your process, I did get a bit confused as to how many images you were working on. It took me a while to work out that some of the intermediate stages were close ups of the same image. I am assuming that you ended up with 4 works – those at the end. With your cyanotype chemicals, have you tried altering the ratios of the two parts at all? You can end up with some really interesting effects such as more greens and browns if you do.

Nine.

The outcomes are truly amazing as always, and demonstrate the huge amount of work that you have put in this year. I feel it is like being at the top of a mountain looking down, truly mesmerized in how we all got here! The climbing, the falling and the feeling of achievement when we reach our goals along the way. Great work – just one question which I have never thought to ask before. What size are these cyanotypes and can they be enlarged to a very large scale. Seeing them really large would b awesome.

Reflection

The peer feedback from Project 8 compared to Project 2 is a noticeable progression in terms of my practice being understood. There are also a lot of good thoughts and ideas in here too which I feel need some investigation. It was my intention for Project 9 to collect river samples over a period of time, however I am going to go back over my work and try some of these ideas out.