Pressed Flowers, Seaweed, Cyanotypes, Botanical Collage, Mixed Media
Studio #2
The Barn on Lopez Island
137 Forest Lane
+Handicapped accessible
amandamccauley.com
amcchiggins@mac.com
(415) 307-0137
My latest cyanotype “blue works” combine everything I’ve been learning and creating for the last 14 years of my art practice. First, I harvest and collect flowers, leaves, roots, moss, seaweeds and anything else that looks interesting. Next, I bring the goodies back to my studio and begin various treatments. The materials harvested from land are deconstructed and shaped in my flower presses to flatten and dry. The materials harvested from the sea are cleaned, washed, and separated for assembly and design in a fresh water tank. These latest cyanotype works can sometimes combine both wet and dry elements into one piece - using flowers and seaweed to create interesting graphics that are created in a dark room and "printed" using the sun.
How do I know what I will create next ? I find inspiration in everything that surrounds me. Living in two different environments allows me to pull ideas from various areas of life. Obviously, I look to nature first. Living on Lopez Island has given me a magical playground of gifts that just keep on giving. Here, I’m surrounded by the woods, fields, the ocean, shorelines, and incredible gardens. The countryside and landscape is breathtaking! In New York, I get my city fix. I’m drawn to fashion, music, food, film and theater. But most of all, I love the art scene in New York. The galleries, museums, and street art scene are all so vibrant, and expansive. As my life and work unfolds on two extremely different islands, I have a rich canvas of materials, visuals, and concepts from which to draw.