Moseley Blue Artist in Residence

Climate change silk cyanotype made by photo artist Tracey Thorne for Moseley Blue v1.png

Moseley Blue was an artist residency in a small gated urban park in the heart of Moseley in the city of Birmingham undertaken in 2022. The aim of the residency was to explore the park using the cyanotype process thinking about the tension between an ever expanding city and the importance of green spaces (nature). It was a mindful, slow observation over several months as the park began to come to life during the spring to summer. It calls on us to look closely at what is around us. It was sometimes a playful use of the colour blue, the natural light and the sound of nature escaping the hum of the city.

That waves in the summer air - Emily Bronte

Cyanotype being made by photo artist Tracey Thorne using cows parsely in Moseley Park for project Moseley Blue

Moseley Blue cyanotypes on silk made by Tracey Thorne for Moseley Blue

Tracey Thorne self portrait using cyanotypes on silk Moseley Blue

Selected images from the artist residency shown here mainly focused on a set of cyanotypes made on silk using cows parsley and below the beautiful stages of making a blossom print on Japanese awagami kozo paper using a digital negative.

Digital photographic image of blossom tree in Moseley park

Monochrome negative printed on acetate used to make a cyanotype

Blossom cyanotype on Japanese awagami kozo paper (scan)

Digital photographic image of blossom tree in Moseley park

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The artist residency provided a thought provoking and mindful exploration of the nature in the park using a range of cyanotype processes. I made prints in the park using the sunlight to expose images and used a UV Lamp back in my home studio. A wide range of different papers were used to make the cyanotypes on including: Fabriano 5, Awagami kozo, old poetry pages and other up-cycled packaging. I also used silk and cotton.

Selected cyanotype works were shown in a pop up gallery in Moseley park in July and during the residency people took part in artist led cyanotype sessions.

The artist residency was hosted by Moseley Park & Pool and received support from Arts Council England. More media images and community making sessions are available on social media #moseleyblue

Check out the most viewed video on You Tube That Waves in the Summer Air part 2

Top image - digital photo montage cyanotypes on silk overlayed on a digital image taken at an Extinction Rebellion protest, London 2022 taken by the artist. The work was printed back on silk and exhibited at the Moseley Blue pop up gallery in July click here to view