Animals & Anthotypes
Animals & Anthotypes (2026) is an exploration of earth-based materials and natural color. Each piece in the series isolates a single hue and expands it into a tactile landscape, layered with botanical palettes and embedded with hidden-world anthotypes cradled within each animal silhouette. An anthotype is an image created using photosensitive material derived from plants and exposed through the influence of light. The emulsion is made from crushed flower petals or other light-sensitive plants, fruits, or vegetables. In this project, turmeric is used as the primary botanical (anthotype) material for the applied solution.
My experiments demonstrate the evolution of the work. I begin by collecting and curating materials, testing texture against each natural dye. Surface materials include algae, mycelium, shelf fungi, leather, preserved moss, wool, cellulose, and natural dyes, including butterweed, chokecherry, indigo, logwood, madder root, pokeberry pigments and yellow cosmos. Through experimentation, layering, and extracting what remains, the work resolves into sun kissed works. Animals & Anthotypes.
Foxfire: 11 x 8 inches, turmeric anthotype, yellow cosmos dye, flowers made using red algae and leather strap, on cold press watercolor paper mounted to wood panel. 5/2026.
Sun kissed starling, 12 x 8.5 inches, turmeric anthotype, gold leaf, preserved moss on cold press watercolor paper mounted to wood panel.
5/2026.
Madder Root Rabbit: 11 x 8 inches, turmeric anthotype, background color madder root, gold leaf and preserved moss on cold press watercolor mounted to wood panel.
Space Crow: 15 x 11.5 inches, chokecherry, turmeric anthotype, gold leaf, (snail) red algae, on watercolor paper mounted to wood panel. 5/2026.
French Snail and Moss: 11 x 8 inches, turmeric anthotype, chaga mushroom dye. On cold press watercolor paper mounted to wood panel. 5/2026.
Anthotype Lichen, Mushroom and Moss: 11 x 8 inches, turmeric anthotype, background color yellow yarrow and chaga mushroom, gold leaf, seashells, bark and preserved moss on cold press watercolor mounted to wood panel. 7/4/2026.