For adults, no experience required, $70 - please register
In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore ways of preserving the beauty of our short Calgary summer through the historic cyanotype process. Using locally gathered botanical materials, we will create a series of rich blue-and-white prints that capture details of seasonal plant life.
Participants will learn about the history of cyanotypes and be guided through each step of the process, including preparing paper, composing images, exposing prints, and developing the final works. Along the way, we will reflect on the act of noticing—paying attention to small, often overlooked details in the landscape as a way of documenting and preserving our experience of summer in the city.
Using some of the samples created, each participant will create a small handmade book of botanical cyanotypes, designed to be stored in a tin. This becomes a personal archive of the season, bringing together individual prints into a meaningful and personal collection.
You will leave with a completed mini book of cyanotype images, along with the knowledge and confidence to continue exploring and documenting the natural landscape in seasons to come.
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Cyanotype is basically a SUN PRINT. It is a photograph printing technique which involves adding a photo sensitive solution to paper or fabric, layering plants or other objects on top of it to create a resist (or shadow), and exposing it in the sun. After that the print is rinsed in water to develop it. It produces interesting artistic images in a beautiful cyan blue.
This three-part workshop we will learn and explore the cyanotype process through paper and fabric, moving from foundational techniques to experimental approaches. Together, we will document the fleeting qualities of summer while developing hands-on skills in alternative photography.
In all three workshops we will be exposing our prints in SUN LIGHT, although we will also have a UV light inside as an alternative in case of bad weather.
Each workshop can be taken individually or as part of the full series.
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Ana Zanella is a Calgary-based mixed media artist with a passion for exploring new techniques and materials. She was drawn to cyanotype for its experimental nature and the beautiful unpredictability of the process. For many years, Ana has used cyanotype as a way to document her travels and everyday life, creating prints that capture moments and memories. During the workshop, she will share a selection of her cyanotype works and insights into her creative process.