Artist's Statement

My work explores sensuality, gender and the human form. The focus is to grasp the timeless and universal while incorporating the present. The media itself, an old process combined with advances in digital photography, fits into this theme, the images having an old, familiar quality while unmistakably being products of the present time.

One series depicts nudes as archetypal characters from classic sources such as astrology, tarot and classic literature. Another series captures moments of interaction between tango dancing couples reminiscent of movie stills...a drama in the midst. A third series consists of pictures of nudes with a focus on sensuality of the human form.

About Gum Bichromate Printing

Gum bichromate printing is a historical photographic process (one of many) that in recent years is enjoying a revival among artists and photographers. One attraction to these processes, sometimes referred to as alternative photographic processes, includes a desire to continue the hands-on creative process beyond the camera and computer and into the printmaking process itself.

Gum bichromate printing uses watercolor pigments suspended in gum arabic that is sensitized with a light sensitive chemical. The gum solution is brushed onto paper or other printing surface, then contact printed with an enlarged negative by exposure to UV light. After exposure, the print is developed in plain water, then dried before another layer is applied. One layer can sometimes be enough, but the real beauty, in my opinion, is achieved when several layers are built up.

The resulting print can be similar to a watercolor painting, yet fine photographic detail is possible. Gum printing often produces unpredictable results - slight variations at any stage of the process can make a difference in the final product. Each print is unique.

If you want to read more about alternative photographic processes, a good place to start is the website Alternative Photography. There is an artlcle on the site that describes the gum process in some detail. Enjoy!