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Printing with Silver & Iron | Fall Workshop with Heather F. Wetzel

black and white portrait of Heather F. Wetzel
Heather describes this self-portrait, taken in 2003, as “the beginning of [her] journey in wet-plate collodion and historic photographic processes.”

 

“Photographic prints and books are being replaced by intangible, transient digital files made of zeros and ones – no texture, no smell, no weight. ” So writes photographer Heather F. Wetzel in her artist statement. “I prefer a slower pace, where one takes time to notice and appreciate those little and often discarded things.”

Her photographs echo her assertion, examining forgotten everyday details like a safety pin or a jar of buttons with uncommon attention. Though lacking the saturated colors and extensive post-production possible with today’s digital photography, Heather’s images are warm and arresting. It’s their simplicity and directness that draw the viewer in and envelop them in a moment that can feel timeless.

 

portrait of a broken cup by Heather F. Wetzel
An image from Heather’s series of found-item photographs entitled “Lost. Broken. Found. Fixed.”

 

This fall, Heather will be traveling to Penland to share her expertise in historic photographic processes. Her 1-week course, scheduled for November 1-7, will focus on printing with silver and iron using cyanotype-, salt-, and albumen-printing. Space is still available in the workshop. Register here.

 

Printing with Silver & Iron

Heather F. Wetzel – Beginning with an introduction to digital negatives and other means of photographic contact printmaking, we’ll explore the possibilities of the cyanotype process and two closely-related silver printing processes: salt and albumen. In addition to learning how to mix chemicals, make digital negatives for optimal image making, and the practicalities of printing and toning, we’ll consider further manipulation and mark making as well as final presentation of the prints produced in this workshop. All levels. Code F03P

Heather is a studio artist who works in traditional photographic processes as well as other media such as books and hand papermaking. She is a lecturer in the art department and a book arts specialist at Logan Elm Press at Ohio State University, where she was the 2011-2012 Fergus Family Fellow in Photography.

heatherfwetzel.com

 

 

Salvage series by Heather F. Wetzel
Ferrotypes from Heather’s series “Salvage.” The prints are made using the tops and bottoms of recycled cans.

 

Screen Shot 2015-08-27 at 4.17.35 PM
An image from “Notion,” a series of hand-tinted, gold-toned salt prints exploring the ideas of domesticity and women’s work.

 

REGISTER NOW FOR FALL 1-WEEK WORKSHOPS
October 4 – 10  |  October 18 – 24  |  November 1 – 7