Heather Mitcham

Artist Statement

Printmaking has a vast variety of techniques within it; this has allowed for printmaking to nestle snugly into my busy life. My linoleum block prints ground me with their need for careful carving and precise printing. Then there are my cyanotypes and paper marblings, which have a playfulness and delightful unexpectedness to them that leads to a curiosity driven work flow.For this exhibition I have focused on the latter, developing the term “cyano-experiments” to describe this creative process.

My cyano-experiments were conducted using alternative techniques with cyanotype; meaning I painted with cyanotype solution in the sun causing the print to begin exposing right away, during which I added coarse salt, cumin, soap bubbles, and vinegar in different combinations to see the effect they would have on the print. I repeated the process of adding substances to paper that had been coated with cyanotype solution and allowed to fully dry. I continued on in a similar manner, making small variations each time to complete the remainder of this collection.

The experimenting produces compelling, mysterious shapes and patterns that draw you in. Different chemical reactions are occurring as the cyanotype solution is exposed, interacting with each added element. These moments are what remain frozen within the print.