Jill Wellham is an artist, print maker and digital photographer, whose work encompasses landscape, flower and abstract images. But it is through the analogue photographic process of the cyanotype that she has really made her mark.
Traditionally the technique combines chemicals with water to create a photosensitive solution, for coating onto a high quality paper. Once dry, plants and flowers are placed on the paper and it is exposed to UV light to create the image. Jill also introduces a variety of liquids to the paper just before exposure to the sun – producing alchemical changes to the colours and textures of the image, and creating more painterly and sometimes abstract images:
‘I love finding patterns in nature and the serendipity and experimental nature of the wet cyanotype process means that no two pieces of work can be the same. Every detail of a fern frond or a transparent flower can be captured and memories of the garden come together in each print as reminders of summer days…’
An artist’s residency at Burton Agnes Hall in East Yorkshire, allowed Jill to draw inspiration from the beautiful walled garden – a project she hopes the Hall can exhibit this year. She also has access to a private garden containing rare and unusual plants – used to create a unique set of wet cyanotypes – every print a one of a kind original.
Having trained in Interior Architecture and Design, Jill went on to study digital photography and print making. She has exhibited widely, and in 2019 was named International Garden Photographer of the Year.
Join us via Zoom to hear more about Jill‘s cyanotype techniques. You can find more of her work on her website at: www.mirrored-images.co.uk and on Facebook and Instagram. Guests are welcome to join the Zoom session for a small admin fee. Book your place at:
www.kirkbymoorside-camera-club.co.uk/programme
