Artist Open House, 2023

A curated event by Blain including works from The Other Side & Sea’notype, as well as projects from Louise Cranstone & Susan Andreae.

The Other Side is a project exploring, literal, metaphoric and spiritual interpretations of ‘The Other Side’.

First displayed in the carousel is the reverse side of a developed cyanotype print, we expect the deep blue side is there, yet we cannot see it, nor confirm it. The chemicals that have seeped through the paper are visible, and tangibly connected to the other side. The abstract result, conjures visuals of clouds, light leaks and the sky. A white feather, (attached to the outside of the glass of the frame) can be symbolically linked to a spiritual presence, guidance on one’s path, transcendence and freedom. The feather casts a moving shadow depending on viewing position and lighting in which the print is viewed, hinting at the temporary nature of life.  

Other works include cyanotypes, charcoal drawings and printed photographs.

Sea’notype is riff off ‘cyanotype’ (the camera-less process) and the connection to the ‘sea’.

The work is the result of collecting natural items off the shore such as pebbles, shells and sand which were then placed on paper coated with cyanotype chemicals. Once the cyanotype had been exposed, seawater was collected from the same shoreline and then used to rinse off the chemicals, finishing off the development process.