Cyanotype Prints
Andrew Garfield was recently interviewed on Modern Love, if you have not listened, I really encourage you to do so. They discuss the concept of time, The Ignatian Examen, and onism.
To simplify the Examen, it is a beautiful daily practice, where you reflect on your day and find moments where you were closest to God, whether that is to a spirit, being in nature, or simply being present. Then acknowledge those moments in your day where you could have been more aware, more present, more understanding and reflect on how you can be better the next day.
Have you ever had a day where you have felt completely present?
Three friends and I met at Bear Creek State Park for a cyanotype printmaking day. We prepped our paper and then headed out on a nature walk to find treasures for our prints. The walk felt healing. I was completely present in that moment — soaking in every detail of the walk, listening to the crunch of the rocks underneath our shoes, observing every detail on a leaf, carefully examining the structure of a seed pod. I was selecting each branch, leaf, and flower with a careful awareness and unknowingly creating a rich bouquet of color and textures.
When we returned to our picnic table — we would carefully select pieces from our bouquets for our compositions. We would learn we would not be able to use every branch, leaf, and flower we had selected. We would have to choose. We would watch our pieces transform under the sun’s magic and come to life through the power of water. This process felt so simple, so pure.
If I could have bottled up that day, I would have. I would have done anything to keep the sun’s warmth on my cheeks, to simplify each day to the beauty of that one, and for my heart to be that present and full. However, as Andrew Garfield wisely said:
“The problem is you can’t hold on to anything. It’s, it’s all letting go …. This life is all a letting go.”
After getting home that evening, full of energy, full of life. I received terrible news about a very close family member. It shook me and given that I was in the midst of radiation treatments, I would not be able to physically go say goodbye. It was a heartbreaking position for me to find myself in and I was quickly pulled out of that present moment and reminded of my frustration on being stuck in my body.
I was not able to say goodbye in person, and yet I had to force myself to let go of that desire to physically be there, at that moment in time. I was there spiritually. I was there emotionally. And, in essence, I would be there presently.
If you want to make your own cyanotype prints, you can pick up Jaquard Cyanotype Sensitizer Sets at your local art store or order them online.