Artist Statement
Alternative processing is not something I often employ in my photography – my primary focus is landscape and nature photography using digital capture and processing. Having said that, chemistry and chemicals are something I’m very familiar with, having a background in science and working in a lab for many years.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a series of cyanotype workshops led by Jesse Merrell for Spectrum Art Gallery members. I thoroughly enjoyed the camera-less photogram process, where unique, one-of-a-kind prints are created by placing objects such as leaves, fabrics, or yarn directly onto light-sensitive, cyanotype-coated paper and exposing them to light.
The entire process was playful; it was all about experimenting, choosing and arranging objects on coated paper, trying different brushes and brush strokes for coating the paper, and deciding when to stop the exposure…
The outcome was always a bit unpredictable, influenced by the intensity of light and how much of it passed through or was blocked by each object. Just before the exposure, I often applied droplets of water to coated paper to introduce additional texture and subtle patterns to the print. The entire process was very creative, and that was what I enjoyed the most! The pieces I chose for this exhibit are all photograms I created during those workshops at the Spectrum Art Gallery.
You can learn more about me and my photography at frankagabler.com.