Artist Statement

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Alchemy is defined as "A seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination."Alchemy is the medieval practice of using chemistry to try to turn base metals into gold.

The title of "Alchemy" seemed a natural fit for this body of work because of the transformative nature of the process used to create these images. This process was born

from a mistake; I forgot I had prints in the developer. When I discovered the abandoned prints in the developer, I immediately went to discard them. However, a strange,

metallic shimmer on one of the prints caught my eye. The white areas of the image had turned a deep, bronze-gold color and had a metallic sheen. The edges of these areas

had a silvery-blue tint. Even the black areas shimmered in the light. I was blown away by the strange beauty of this forgotten test print, and knew instantly I wanted to do it

again.

Countless hours of experimentation led me to an understanding of the physical transformation happening, though much mystery remains. The developer that I used is

a homemade concoction of instant coffee, vitamin C, and washing soda, known as Caffenol. This was mixed with a small amount of an ascorbic acid based developer. The

resulting effect of these chemicals combined with a development time of 3 to 8 hours, is the lifting of silver from the photographic paper, giving the highlight areas a metallic

shimmer with iridescent tones. Each image is unique and most have "blemishes" that are evidence of the process: scratches from the tongs when I removed the paper from

the tray, water marks left by the flowers and plants, specks of organic matter such as dirt or leaves. The paper itself is warped from hours of soaking in chemicals and water.

All of this imperfection is allowed, because these images are not about perfection. They are about magic.

Medieval alchemists believed that by practicing their craft, they could purify objects, create a magical elixir of immortality, or create cures for ailments. The transformation

alchemists sought was not just chemical, but spiritual and metaphysical. The images I have made aim to celebrate a similarly mysterious, magical, healing force: nature.

Nature is alchemical at its core. Nature is rife with transformation, and creation....and to me, it is also magic. When I observe the veiny details of a leaf, the fleshy petals of a flower, the cavities of a raccoon skull...I see evidence of a cosmic order that links my humanity to these various life forms. When I am struggling with all of the things I think I

need to be, or do, it is nature that reminds me that I simply need to exist. That the purpose of life is something beyond my grasp, but I can choose to be a part of it. It

reminds me that I am connected to all living things, by showing me that weeds and branches and rocks and seeds and bones are made of the same basic elements as

me....and they don't question their existence. They just exist. To me, nature is a doorway into the great mysteries of life. Strange, transformative, unexplainable, magic.

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