Botany in Blue: Printing In Cyanotype

Join Shane Powers of Fort Bragg’s Cyan Art Studio for a hands-on exploration of the plant world through the art of cyanotype printing. Using plants, UV light, and water, you will create beautiful blue “sun prints” inspired by nature. These unique prints make wonderful gifts, keepsakes, and decorations for your favorite people and places.

By the end of the workshop, each participant will have created at least three 5″ × 7″ cyanotype prints and, we hope, a deeper connection to the plants and natural world that surround and sustain us.

The Details
The class will take place indoors and outdoors. Be prepared for the weather with appropriate layers.

Bring a refillable water bottle, notebook, a pencil/pen and paper, and comfortable shoes.

A Bit of History
Discovered in 1842, cyanotype printing has been used to create photographs and artwork for nearly two centuries. This workshop takes place less than a week before World Cyanotype Day, and, in addition to making art with plants, we will learn about one of the very first cyanotype artists, an avid botanist named Anna Atkins (1799-1871).

Atkins created groundbreaking volumes of cyanotype prints documenting land and marine plants, combining her love of botany with this emerging photographic process. Inspired by her legacy, we will use coastal plants to create our own simple works of art with two of the most fundamental sources of plant life: sunlight and water.

Workshop Registration
Class size is limited! Registration for this workshop must be completed in advance online or at the MCBG Store.

The registration fee is $56.00 per participant and covers your admission for the day. The discounted rate for current MCBG Members is $46.00 – sign in to access your discount. All fees are non-refundable unless the workshop has been canceled or rescheduled by the Gardens. Proceeds support our nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

Your participation in our workshops, walks, and events directly fuels our education programs, makes free school field trips possible, and helps people of all ages and backgrounds build meaningful connections with plants and the beauty of the natural world.