The Process: Sun, Specimen, and Memory

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At the heart of my practice is the contact cyanotype; a mid-19th-century photographic printing process driven by light and chemical transformation.

 

Using UV-reactive iron salts, I coat the working surface and expose it directly to the Australian sun. Rather than using digital negatives or stencils, I place found native flora and deceased native fauna directly onto the light-sensitive surface. The animals I collect are roadkill or victims of environmental impact, gathered carefully from the surrounding ecosystems. By laying these fallen creatures directly onto the surface, their physical forms leave an indelible, shadow-like silhouette, a tactile record of presence, loss, and fragile beauty.

Once the cyanotype base is washed and dried, I build layers onto these ghostly silhouettes to honor the spirit and ecology of each specimen:

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• Continuous Line Work & Watercolour: Using a fluid, unbroken ink line, I trace and rebuild the animal's form. This continuous drawing reflects the interconnectedness of life, while vivid watercolor washes bring vitality, light, and warmth back to the cold cyanotype shadow.

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• Embroidery Thread & Gold Leaf: With hand-stitched metallic thread and gold leaf, I repair and embellish the image. These delicate, tactile interventions evoke celestial constellations and ceremonial restoration, turning a moment of grief into a quiet monument to Australian biodiversity.

 

Through this slow, layered process, each piece becomes both a botanical record and a meditation on life, death, and human impact on our shared environment.