This series, “Antholumens” was created during the pandemic. I sought solace in the natural world where poetry, light, and growth were evident in the North Carolina forest near my house. The new shoots and leaves of spring felt hopeful, a reminder that we were all moving forward.
Over many months, I collected leaves and specimens from my backyard and the forest floor. I plucked common ferns like bugle fern and many species that are considered weeds, such as bracken weed. This slow tuning in to the common, overlooked species in my area resonates with present-day “plant blindness.” Plant Blindness refers to the chronic inability to see or notice the plants in one’s own environment. For example, we see all leaves as the same or ignore the importance of plants in the biosphere altogether. The term “plant blindness” was coined by two botanists, Elizabeth Schussler and James Wandersee two decades ago. Even in mapping disappearing species, as little as 10 percent of plant life has been examined, compared to the entirety of animals. As I worked with each fern or weed, I noticed small imperfections in each, the ways they had degraded, had been eaten by an insect, or left damaged.
I had been working with the experimental “lumen printing” process, in which regular black & white photo paper reveals a shifting array of colors. I was interested in blending the photo and plant materials, not only as image but alchemical process. These “Antholumen” photograms merge the two processes of lumen and anthotype. Anthotypes are another experimental sun-printing photo process - using plant juices. This combined alchemy is one I have pioneered myself.
These botanical prints were created with expired silver gelatin paper. These were coated with a mixture of natural plant materials and juices, as a way to alter the color and explore paper and plant chemistry. They were then exposed to the sun, and later, scanned in order to permanently “fix” the final image. The colors and end results are due to plant chemistry and photo papere chemistry interacting. Like the individual plant described in each image, no two are alike, nor can results be repeated.
