Experiments in Wet Cyanotype - part 50

When I began experimenting with the wet cyanotype process, back in June 2017, I could not have imagined that it would have held my interest and been so rewarding for all this time. But here I am, at post 50 and over three years later, and it still gives me a little thrill each time I rinse out a print and see what I've got. 

I began by working on cotton, added in various types of silk, experimented with ways to change the Ph, and tried adding other textile paints and Solarfast dyes. This week I'm trying printing on mineral paper.

I made prints in the high heat of summer, and in the depths of winter where they were frozen and snowed upon. The ratio of beautiful prints to duds has been very high, and even the duds can be cut up and used in patchwork. This process can never truly be mastered, because there are just too many variables, but along the way I've developed some working methods that lead to pretty consistent results. I've shared all of this, in great detail, here on my blog. You can view all of the experiments, in reverse chonological order, by clicking on the Wet Cyanotype tab in the top header, or clicking here.

I've used the prints in my art quilts, beginning with Storm Watch: 

Heat Index: 

and most recently, In Dreams I Found Utopia:

I used wet cyanotype prints in Heat Lightning, which is currently touring with SAQA's Season after Season exhibit:

I have been making prints in a frenzy all summer, and there are numerous other quilts in various stages of progress in the studio pipeline.

Back to the mineral paper--this is the second batch of prints, the first 4 photos are the prints as I set them out, this set of four is the prints after exposure and before rinsing.

They are a calla leaf, a fern, a bit of hemlock foliage, and a twig of box elder leaves.

The way the chemicals move around on the slick mineral paper is completely unlike how they respond to fabric, and I am having fun fooling around with the process. It's also freeing in that I don't need to plan ahead for where the stitching lines will go, as each print is complete in and of itself.

 Here are the finished prints, all 10" x 12".

There is SO much going on in these, I am enthralled.

There's a lot of color variation, and the background texture is just wild. 

Behold the common box elder!

I know many of you have been reading and following along for some time, and I want to thank you again for you interest and support. 

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 49

I'm having fun experimenting with a new medium. Mineral paper is a synthetic paper made from calcium carbonite dust, bonded with HDPE. It's thin, with a very smooth texture, and holds up to wet processes much better than a lot of wood pulp papers. The flip side is that it's not very absorbent, although it will pick up water based pigments as stains. I wanted to see how it would work with my wet cyanotype process.

With the first prints I set out I was immediately intrigued. The cyanotype pigments moved across the surface of the paper very quickly and fluidly. 

My first trial batch included a two fern panels, and two of pin oak leaves. The paper is 9" x 12". The cyanotype chemicals continued to move around the paper for a long time, although the rate slowed as it was (presumably) partially absorbed into the paper. I left it out in bright September sunshine and 70F temps for about 4 hours.

Here are the prints after exposure but before rinsing. 

I was already in love with the background textures; very different than the effects I get on fabric.

The chemicals seemed to cluster in thin/thick lines around the leaves.

And here are the rinsed and finished prints. 

I am extremely happy with how these turned out and will be doing more of them.

These will not be replacing my textile work, which is always where my primary focus will be. But the textile prints are just one stop in a longer process that involves many hours of stitching and quilting and finishing. 

Times are weird and scary, and I needed the quick jolt of immediate gratifiation, and these are fulfilling that need.

Thanks for reading!

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Second place award for In Dreams I Saw the Rift

In Dreams I Saw the Rift by Sue Reno

I am thrilled and honored to announce that In Dreams I Saw the Rift was awarded Second Place in the Craft division in The Art of the State PA 2020 at the State Museum in Pennsylvania.

In Dreams I Saw the Rift, by Sue Reno, detail 1

This is a very competitive exhibit, and I am always thrilled to be included; to win an award is very special and I am grateful. 

In Dreams I Saw the Rift, by Sue Reno, detail 5

 Due to the pandemic, the Museum is currently closed to the public, but there's a great virtual tour available, my work is best seen in Area 9:

 https://www.exhibitstudios.com/media/tours/21338_art_of_the_state/

Here's the catalogue:

http://statemuseumpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CatalogWeb.pdf

and here's the Awards Ceremony:

https://youtu.be/feoV_j5XHKE

Many thanks to the Museum for putting this all together in a very challenging environment. 

Circular Logic for the SAQA Auction

 

I contributed a 12" x 12" quilt to the SAQA Benefit Auction, which begins tomorrow, September 11. You can read all the details about how the auction works, and preview the works, here: https://www.saqa.com/auction

This piece began with a print I made of a plume poppy leaf from my garden. At the time I was experimenting heavily with combining cyanotype, Solarfast, and textile paints, and I thought this one turned out particularly well. For a while it was my "go" project; I carried it around and embroidered on the outline with variegated thread at the odd moment. 

I enjoyed turning the embroidered print into a very intricate small quilt. Here's my statement about the work:

Looking for valid information in the time of pandemic on which to base my decisions, I often run across circular reasoning, where the writer begins with the conclusion they are trying to end with. Searching for scientific accuracy keeps my wits sharp, and making art keeps my sanity intact. This piece began as an experiment using cyanotype and solar dye chemicals to print from a plume poppy leaf. I defined the edges of the image with hand embroidery. The patchwork on the side has heliographic print images of teeny plume poppy leaves. I quilted the main image using a multitude of circles. 

As often happens with fiberart, the picture cannot fully convey the way the silk shimmers, or the depth of texture and line that the quilting adds. It's a little gem, and I hope you are inspired to bid on it!