Hello.
Over the last four years, I have been exploring cyanotype printing, which is a process of making a print without a camera … using only the sun to fix the image, and water to process it.
A light-sensitive solution is painted on to paper and I place botanicals on top. I then take it outside and immediately, it reacts with the sun’s UV light to produce an impression on the paper. The paper is washed several times and gradually the typical blue of a cyanotype emerges. Each piece is made slowly by hand, one at a time. It is such a magical process and making things by hand is something I will never get tired of.
I find inspiration anywhere and everywhere. Disintegrating leaves, weeds in flower, and brittle stalks are some of the ordinary things of beauty I enjoy printing with. It is definitely not an exact science, and the element of surprise has certainly become part of the allure for me. The outcome is not easy to predict. Finding joy in the unexpected results is part of why I love this technique so much.
I create these pieces from my farm studio (think kitchen table and bedrooms of children away at uni). Literally, the more I make and play, the more I feel inspired to make more. I have recently started to experiment with natural toners like green tea and coffee to shift the palette and also incorporating stitching and pages from a vintage dictionary into my works (examples below).
Thank you for your interest in these pieces.
Liz Kelleher // free range maker
0429 444 349
