Please join Erin Patton McFarren for a two-hour workshop on printing cyanotypes on fabric. Cyanotype is a camera-less photography made out in the sun, rather than in a darkroom. You place objects — such as plants — on top of a piece of photo-treated fabric, and then use the sun to expose the fabric. The result is an image that is an exact outline of the objects in your composition.

In the workshop, we will mix and apply light sensitive chemistry on a 16-inch cotton handkerchief. You will then create a composition on the fabric using flowers and plants we will have on hand, or bring your own objects to use in your composition. After exposing the image, you will have a unique fabric cyanotype featuring the brilliant blue color that is the hallmark of the process.

Come spend a fun afternoon creating in our beautiful workspace. We will have some objects on hand to experiment with, but feel free to bring your own. Flat items usually work best, and cyanotype can be messy, so precious things like family heirlooms should probably stay at home. All necessary materials will be provided at the workshop. This activity is best suited for artists 7+ years old; minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Erin Patton McFarren earned a BA in Visual Arts and Sculpture from the University of Saint Francis and MLS in Media Studies from Indiana University. Her creative practice is grounded in meditation, involving constant exploration, process and experimentation. Erin is an established art educator teaching in the Reggio Emilia Approach and parent of two creative teenagers with her partner of 25 years. Her work is collected throughout the US and internationally and is held in the Contemporary Photography Collection of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. She was recently awarded a Fellowship from the Lilly Endowment to take her “traveling studio” to Brazil during the summer of 2024.