In 1828, Noah Webster gave us 20 definitions for the word “STRENGTH”, a very generous offering. Now, almost 200 years later with 2020 in our rear-view mirror, we just might be able to expand his original scope in double measure – or more.
We begin 2021 with a shared human experience like our generation has never known. The simple fact of our being here proves that each one of us found a resilience of our own. The artists of World Cyanotype Day share with us their personal interpretation of STRENGTH, what it means, where it can be found, what it might look like. You just might be encouraged to do the same.
Artist Name: Fruma Markowitz
Title: “Against The Evil Eye”
Description: This piece is a wet cyanotype made on 22”w X 33”h Shizen 100% cotton hand-made paper using a giant sunflower and embellished with soap suds, turmeric powder, table salt and white vinegar spray.
To me it represents standing tall and proud, staring down all the negative forces that can cause human suffering, and not letting them pass . It was created this year during COVID-19 lockdown.
Contact: https://www.frumamarkowitz.photo
Artist: Vince Sebastian
Title: "Shooting From Horseback"
Description: Collage image made from a digital camera copy of my wet cyanotype and a few digital images combined and adjusted to each other in Photoshop.
A digital negative made on overhead transparency film was contact printed onto Bristol Board (coated with Jacquard A&B).
A water wash was followed with a spray of diluted hydrogen peroxide
and a final wash.
Artist: Walt Polley
Title: “Conch Trumpeter”
Description: The piece is a cyanotype (traditional chemical solution) on Canson XL watercolor paper, image size 8.0 x 10.75 inches on 8.5x11 paper.
Artist: Judy Mauer
Title: "How Strong Is A Branch..."
Contact: www.judymauer.com
Description: This piece is a cyanolumen on expired Ilford Glossy Paper.
Artist: Meghana Joshi
Title: "Eternity In My Hand"
Contact: Instagram @Luna_Blue_By_Meg
Description: I believe our strength lies in our own hands and when we put them to work to create something with joy and purpose, we hold eternity, whole constellations, in the palm of our hand.
Artist: Bridget Arnold
Title: "Seagull Feathers"
Contact: https://www.bridgetarnold.co.uk
Description: Wet Cyanotype and Soap Suds
My First walk on the Beach after Lockdown collecting Seagull Feathers
HahneMuhle Paper 11x 15 inches
Artist: Kevin Rose Schultz
Title: The Gardener
Description: Silver print photograph scanned to create digital negative. Cyanotype print on Canson watercolor paper.
INSPIRATION: She is 87 years old. Yin-Rei has lived through the Japanese bombing China, Communists fighting the National Republic of China, and came to the U.S. as a teenager. She became an artist and educator, married, had a family, and has been my friend and artist mentor for 20 years.
Artist: Hannah Hansen
Title: "Branch Out"
Description: This piece is a cyanotype on cloth from a negative on transparency.
Artist: Ronald D. Butler
Title: "Breathe" Contact: https://www.facebook.com/Ronald.D.Butler https://www.instagram.com/ronbutler/ ; https://www.instagram.com/ronbphotography/ Description: I used a chest x-ray found at a flea market combined with wild summer grasses to print on Arches Platine watercolor paper.
Artists: Parvathi Kumar & Hema Bharadwaj
Title: "To Be Like A Tree"
Contact:
Description: This is a cyanotype mixed-media collaborative piece: Parvathi Kumar did the cyanotype of the trees which was printed from a digital negative; Hema Bharadwaj was inspired to concentrically and artfully scribe by hand a beautiful variety of poetry and prose all on the theme of trees, in blue ink and emulating the rings of tree trunks. The work is on 12"w x 16"h watercolor paper.
Artist: John Ansell
Title: “Floating “
Contact: www.johnansell.com.au
Description: This image is Cyanotype using New Cyanotype solution on Bergger COT 320 .
Created to show a strength and longevity no matter what the world throws at us and how it leaves it mark on us physically and mentally.
Artist: Alana Adams
Title: "Melaleuca Magic"
Contact: alanaeadams@gmail.com
Description: The powerful healing and protective qualities of Australian Native plants give me strength during a very health conscious time.
Cyanotype on HPR with the shadow of the tree.
Artist: Volker Gugel
Title: “Strong Animal Empire”
Description: Cyanotype on 300gr watercolor paper
partially tinted with watercolors.
Artist: Trevor Foon
Title: “Family Tree” Contact:
Contact: www.foons.com.au
Description: I am a survivor.
Born of scattered seed I set down roots in fertile soil. In seasons of drought I survived on the trickle of a constant stream.
Under blankets of smoke I escaped showers of cinder and flame.
While in flood the stream that nurtured then threatened to evict.
My offspring now grow in my shadow and as I return to the earth they will replace and succeed.
Artist: Tedi Rollins
Title: "Looking Up"
Description: This piece is a cyanotype on cloth from a negative on transparency.
Artist: db Waltrip
Title: “A Star, But Not A Fish”
Contact: https://kodachromegirl.blogspot.com
Description: Traditional cyanotype photogram on watercolor paper, overlaid with antique tulle. Sea Stars are particularly resilient & can regenerate lost limbs. Resilience & regeneration are two aspects of “strength” that appeal to me.
Artist: Marlene Weinstein
Title: “Bamboo 2x”
Contact: www.marleneweinsteinphoto.com
Description: This is a twice-exposed print, with the bamboo shoot moved at the midway point of the exposure.
Artist: Lucy Telford
Title: "Bloodlines"
Contact: http://www.lucytelford.com
Description: Instead of brushing the cyanotype solution onto paper, I covered my gloved hand with it and made a print. The tree was a digital negative made from a medium format film negative. During lockdown I thought a lot about family, near and far, gone and here, and realised how much strength I draw from those ties. This cyanotype represents the bloodlines which link me to my ancestors and which will continue on in my children.
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