This cyanotype, created by student Amanda Gerhart using the 19th century photographic process sometimes known as blueprinting, will be part of the “Blue Note” exhibition.

Feb. 20: ‘Blue Note’

Article by College of Arts and Sciences Communications Staff Photo courtesy of Amanda Gerhart February 16, 2018

Reception opens exhibit of student cyanotypes

Art and design students who learned to create photographs through the 19th century cyanotype process, sometimes known as blueprinting, will display their work at an exhibition opening Tuesday, Feb. 20, in the University of Delaware Career Services Center.

An opening reception, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., will also feature a dance performance and is free and open to the public. The Career Services Center is at 401 Academy Street on UD’s Newark campus.

The show, which will run until May 1, will consist of more than 50 original images. They were made by students in fall semester’s Core Photography class, taught by Jon Cox, assistant professor of art and design, and Lisa Bennett, a graduate student in the Master of Fine Arts program.

Students began learning about the cyanotype process by viewing samples of such images in UD’s permanent collection from the 1800s, shown to the class by Ashley Rye-Kopec, curator of education and outreach for Special Collections and Museums.

The class then learned the technique, which uses a combination of two chemical solutions, exposure to sunlight and full-spectrum light and a final development process in tap water that exposes the signature Prussian blue hue. Creating each image took at least 30 minutes, often much longer, according to Bennett.

“I hope experiencing the cyanotype process gave the students an appreciation for the speed in which they can create images digitally and encourages them to pursue more darkroom-related processes,” she said.

Nathan Elton, director of Career Services, said the center was pleased to host the show as part of its mission to celebrate and promote UD students’ talents. “It was also a pleasure getting to know the artists,” he said.

At the Feb. 20 reception, student dancers in the Women of Consequence: Ambitious, Ancillary and Anonymous project will perform some of their work exploring the lives of African American women from the 1800s and beyond. The dancers have been performing at various locations, including area middle and high schools, and have several upcoming public performances.