Artist Statement

Each piece is an original botanical cyanotype, created using natural material grown or collected by the artist. The artist is trained in horticulture and plant science, and so the work grows out of a detailed exploration of the botanical features of the plants. Liquid gold leaf is used to highlight the form of the plants while adding depth to the piece by emphasising the intensity of the Prussian blue typical of the cyanotype technique. Cyanotypes were developed in the 1800s and it is one of the earliest forms of photography.

The work produced follows two main themes. One is a modern take of the traditional herbarium-style of the 1800’s, influenced by the botanist Anna Atkins who showcased the cyanotype technique as a method of recording plants before photography became accessible. In the herbarium style, each piece of work features the profile of the plant with its botanical name, creating a simple yet striking image.
In the second type of work, the artist examines the form of the plants and the patterns these create. Something that looks like the ripples of water turns out to be layers of field poppy petals, pressed from the summer.

The work is available in a variety of sizes and formats, from individual bookmarks to large wall pieces and themed triptychs. The work features garden favourites such as hydrangeas and poppies, familiar plants from the Derbyshire landscape such as bracken and bluebells, and more unusual specimens of the plant world such as clubmoss and seaweeds.