Statement

It may seem unlikely, but a simple process, when approached with curiosity and a sense of play, opens up to reveal a multitude of possibilities. In my work, I take two of the basic elements of early photography – a surface and light-sensitive chemicals – then experiment and ask endless ‘what if’ questions. Like the photographic pioneers, I balance the careful observation and procedure of a scientist with the wonder of a child. More experience only brings more questions and reveals the unpredictability inherent in my methods. This interplay of discovery and chance is important to the work, making it a microcosm of nature.
In the series Fluvial I encourage the water-based chemistry of the cyanotype to blend across the paper, adding salt, water drips or alcohol to disrupt it. These long, outdoor exposures capture the flow and mix of liquids, like a miniature model of a river meeting the ocean. The developed images reveal marks reminiscent of the traces water leaves across the surface of the earth.