Practicing the Blues is a triptych of original cyanotype prints on heavy water color paper, mounted on cradled board. My garden has been my inspiration for most of my cyanotype and lumen printing work, and most of the pieces have been photograms of objects found in nature. In this piece, I wanted to do something more elemental. I limited myself to paper, chemistry, and sunlight in evoking my garden rather than depicting it. I started with a grid of various values of cyanotype blue created by mixing traditional cyanotype chemicals in different ratios, while adding water, beet juice, a turmeric mixture, and the liquid from soaked walnut hulls. Those base pieces were developed normally in water and dried. Then, in a series of additional manipulations, I painted, sponged, splashed, sprinkled, and sprayed the work with more cyanotype solution, washing soda, & powdered vitamin C. I also selectively toned with coffee, green tea, and black tea. There were a few splashes of cochineal also thrown in for good measure.

Each panel is 15x22".