Nostalgia 2020, Cyanotype with silk ribbon embroidery on paper, 42 x 29.7 cm

Anna Atkins (1799-1871)was a botanist and member of the Botanical Society of London since 1839. After being introduced to the photographic process of cyanotype, she was the first person to adopt this process to create photograms of her specimens. Anna is also the first person to have created an illustrated book using these photographic images.

I admire Anna’s creativity, using a newly discovered process in her own unique way. The images she created are not just botanical records but beautiful works of art. I have fallen in love with the cyanotype process and feel I should pay homage to Anna for inspiring artists and photographers world wide to continue producing works of art using the cyanotype process.  

The process begins with a hand drawing of my impression of Anna Atkins. A transparency is created and layers of organic material are added to the prepared cyanotype papers, then exposed to UV light. 

I have used a variety of materials including; onion and garlic skins, weeds, native flora found within nearby parkland and various household materials to create a variety of effects.   

Anna Atkins in Blue, Cyanotype on rice paper, 42 x 29.7 cm

 Anna Atkins Clematis Garden,  Cyanotype on rice paper, 42 x 29.7 cm

In my Garden, 2020 Cyanotype, 42 x 29.7 cm

For this version, the image was processed once, then bleached, recoated and exposed again to sunlight using the same figure elements but different foliage.