The Living Room was a mixed media installation between our small artist family. Exhibiting artists included Robin and Paul Hackett and myself.
I wanted to throw myself in a new direction of my artwork. I was initially inspired to try my hand at creating cyanotype printmaking when I popped into a Kindergarten printmaking class at the Maud Morgan Art Center. I’d never seen this printmaking technique in action - I asked some other cyanotype creators for some tips and I spent most of the summer exposing negatives I created in the sun.
I tried the pre-conditioned cyanotype fabric because I wanted to add extra layer of touch through embroidery. This detailed element helped create a dreamy celestial setting for my female artist muses.
In December of 2019-January 2020 The Living Room was presented at community gallery in downtown Framingham, ATAC. Our family decided that we wanted to showcase a collaborative installation in the center gallery - and it made perfect sense for that installation to based on a pieced together living room set.
The Hackett’s found all the furniture on the side of the road and as a family we painted all the pieces with many layers of white house paint. After many iterations we decided on a layout of the living room., leaving blue markers behind for visitors to leave messages to those family members who no longer are sitting in their living room.
I was so intrigued by the technical process of cyanotypes; allowing the stretch of light from the sun dictate the details of the print. Coming from a digital background, leaving the final print product to nature felt liberating. Opening my work to the elements of the universe. As all artists are doing when they reveal their art and themselves..
All of these artists and pulling their souls through their artwork. Exposing their greatest emotions; I hope my series reflects, and honors this power and confidence.
