Experiments in film soup - part 3

I make these film soup images as a sort of special treat to myself. It's a mildly complicated process; taking pictures with an eye as to what might translate well to the format, "souping" the film in a solution for a period of time, drying the film, sending it out for processing, then slightly editing the results. (I have mine processed by film lab 135.) Part of it also accepting that a certain percentage of them will be duds. But when I get a set like this, where everything worked, it is entirely worth it. These fill me with joy, as I love a good alternative version of reality.

My camera here was a vintage Nikon N6006, which is rapidly becoming my favorite. I enjoy the interface, it's easy to use, and I like the vibe of the pictures it takes. Film was Kodak Max 400, which is easily available. I souped the film with lime juice.

 

This next set of pictures was taken near the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail.

I've taken a bunch of photos of these structures in the past, but souping takes them to another level.

This is Chickies, or Chiques, rock, located along the trail, and again I've got a zillion pictures of it, both the ground view and from the top, but these give me a sweet new perspective.

Hope you enjoyed these! 

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 95

 Welcome to more adventures in wet cyanotype printing, starting with the leaves of that crowd favorite, tall blue lettuce, Lactuca biennis. This is a native plant that tends to grow along the edges of woodlands and disturbed ground. It is a biennial, meaning it forms a rosette of leaves in its first year from seed while it builds up root strength, then in its second year it sends up an impressively tall flower stalk.

All three of these prints are on cotton sateen, with cyanotype chemicals and just a dash of Solarfast. The first batch of pictures shows them just after I've prepped them for exposure. Below is a leaf of the lettuce and a sprig of the decidedly non-native Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica.

And here is a solo sprig of the knotweed. It's a horrible invasive, but it does make for a nice print.

Here are the prints after exposure but before rinse out. Looking good so far!

Here are the finished prints. Sometimes I like a good solid edge to the subject matter, and sometimes I appreciate the halos that develop. It's all up to chance, or rather to the particular combination of the moisture level in the plants, the temperature and humidity, the angle of the sun, and the length of the exposure. I can control some of that but it's still always a surprise, and that's what keeps me coming back for more.

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SAQA Journal Gallery Acceptance

 I'm thrilled to be one of the 40 SAQA artists selected by juror Marcia Young for the 2025 SAQA Journal Gallery. This exhibition in print will be included in the SAQA Journal 2025 Issue #4. My Greenhouse Effect will be featured along with the extraordinary work of other textile artists worldwide.

Greenhouse Effect

I have been a member of SAQA - Studio Art Quilt Associates - for a long time, and a Juried Artist since 2009. I have reaped countless benefits, contributed where I could, and continue to be very grateful for this organization which has been instrumental in promoting the art quilt as a fine art medium.

Greenhouse Effect, detail

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 94

 I'm catching up with some of this summer's output in wet cyanotype prints. It's been an extraordinarily wet summer to date, reminiscent of when I lived abroad and experienced the monsoon, but I've still managed to sneak in a print day here and there. 

I started with a big cotton sateen panel of box elder leaves. All of the prints from this session are standard cyanotype chemistry with some sloshes of Jacquard Solarfast added here and there. 

Next are 4 sheets of mineral paper with milkweed leaves. All the rain has the milkweed growing like, well, a weed, although in my garden they have a dedicated spot where they are welcome.

Here are the mineral paper prints a few minutes after exposure began. The slipperiness of the paper allows the chemicals to move about a great deal at first. 

Here are all the prints after exposure but before rinse out.

Here are the finished prints. That big red slash through the center of the sateen print is less subtle than my usual work, but I think it accurately reflects my state of mind at this point in time.

The milkweed prints came out absolutely delightful, with all sorts of marks and movement happening. 

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Treasures of Our Local Watersheds Acceptance

 I am happy to announce that I've had two quilts, Flash Flood Warning and In Dreams I Drifted Away,  accepted for the SAQA Regional Exhibit Treasures of Our Local Watersheds.  

Flash Flood Warning

Local watersheds, especially the rivers of Pennsylvania, are a recurring motif in my work so I am especially pleased to be included in this themed show. It will premier at the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Eppig Gallery, located at 1103 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44116, August 20, 2025 through October 31, 2025.

In Dreams I Drifted Away

About Flash Flood Warning: The newest in an ongoing series addressing the effect of climate change on weather events. A flash flood warning is issued when a flood is imminent or occurring, may necessitate fleeing and moving to higher ground, and can result in extensive damage and subsequent cleanup. I’ve witnessed several such events along the Susquehanna, beginning with Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

Materials: wool, silk, and mylar fibers; wool, silk, and cotton fabric.

Techniques: wet process cyanotype prints, needlefelting, hand embroidery, stitching.

Size: 59h x 49w

About In Dreams I Drifted Away: The imagery of drifting away on the river represents a scenario that is always tempting me. To escape day to day realities and responsibilities, to float through a dreamscape into an indistinct calm void, is a mental escape valve in stressful times. But the alternative to abdicating one’s obligations is also possible—I can use the metaphor of the river to drift away from rigid dichotomies, to flow easily into a new existence, to form new connections, and to gather a tribe of progressive, like-minded thinkers. The only constant is change, and we are collectively responsible for making that change a positive one as we drift, or forge, ahead.

Materials: Wool, silk, and mylar fibers, silk and cotton fabric

Techniques: monoprints, needlefelting, hand embroidery, hand patchwork, couched threads, stitching.

Size: 60"h x 45"w

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