Intro to Cyanotype Photography with Tony(a) Lemos, Aug 6, 12-2 pm

Enjoy making cyanotype photographic prints using specimens from our gardens in this rewarding, educational, and playful workshop. The cyanotype process, also known as the blueprint process because of its deep blue color, was first introduced in the early 1800s. Anna Atkins was one of the first people to put the cyanotype process to use and in the mid-1800s became the first person to produce and photographically illustrate a book using cyanotype printing. We will delve into the history of the method and learn how we can adapt it to home printing. It is one of the easiest printing techniques you can do at home without expensive equipment or a darkroom. The chemicals needed are easy to find and inexpensive. It is becoming increasingly popular with photographers and artists wanting to expand their creativity with printing. We will work with the sun as our UV light source, and the sun and weather at the time will determine the intensity and sort of cyanotype prints we produce. Everyone will go home with their very own cyanotype art, usually something frame-worthy.

About Tony(a) Lemos:

A life long environmentalist and plant person, Tony(a) Lemos is a Community Herbalist, and Artist, she is inspired by all aspects of the natural world (plants, lichen, moss and fungi) and the alchemical/elemental processes at work though sometimes unseen. Her work centers around wellbeing,creativity, connection and co-existence. She believes art and creativity to be an integral part of the healing process. Presently her work includes eco-printing, relief printing and alternative photography methods, often combining mixed media and found objects.

She also explores symbolism from her ancestry (Greek/Middle East) and her deep connection to her present sense of place on Pocumtuc/Nipmuc territory, also, known as Western Massachusetts specifically Ashfield/ Conway MA. She believes there to be such healing when we connect (art+health) materials to place, and has found by using materials from a particular place to help establish a relationship with it.

She has worked as a community herbalist/educator for over 25 years helping people connect with plants as allies for healing (physical / mental and spiritual). She currently runs Blazing Star Herbal School where she teaches an herbal apprenticeship which is now in its annual 23nd year.

@blazingstarherbalschool / www.blazingstarherbalschool.typepad.com