mixed media
Botanical contact prints 2020 l Mounted on wood cradle panels
Botanical contact print in progress
Disrupted (Fern) 2023 | Stitched collage, 8 x 8 inches
Disrupted (Hydrangea) 2023 | Stitched collage, 8 x 8 inches
Disrupted (Red Thread) 2023 | Stitched collage, 5 x 5 inches
White Fern & Moon 2023 | Botanical contact print, 22 x 9 x 1 inches
Root Atlas (Wurzelatlas) 2024 l Handmade and commercial inks, pencil and pen on 100% cotton rag paper (St. Armand “canal”). 20 x 9.25 inches
Botanical Layers (Grasses) 2022 | Botanical contact print & monoprint, 10 x 8 inches
Botanical Layers ( Fern) 2022 | Monoprint & paint, 10 x 8 inches
Double Oak 2022 | Botanical contact print, 5 x 7 inches
Big Leaf Maple 2021 | Botanical contact print, 15 x 11 inches
Fern & Cotinus 2020 | Botanical contact print, 10 x 8 inches
Raw materials
What is a botanical contact print?
It all starts with a walk in the woods, or a visit to a friend’s garden. I collect several different types of leaves in autumn, carefully drying many for use over the winter.
When I’m ready to work, I start the cauldron to boil, often with a natural dye colour or tannin. Each piece of paper is layered with different plant material, then rolled/pressed and simmered in the dye bath for hours. The wet papers are then carefully unrolled and dried flat. The colours obtained are natural - derived from the reaction of tannins in the plant material, iron, and the natural dye.
Each unique print is inspected, and the best ones are then lightly hand finished and enhanced. As they are original pieces, not reproductions; you can expect to see natural ripples in the paper (from the water & heat process), as well as debossed areas from leaf ribs & stems into the paper. These marks and imprints are embraced and cherished as part of the process.
Each print is finished with a UV spray. Regular light dusting should keep your artwork clean. All artwork should be kept out of direct sunlight, or bright reflected light.