“In an era of dependence on AI-generated imagery, art that relies on collaboration with natural elements and yields unpredictable results is an act of resistance.” — Anna E Schink

Anna E Schink incorporates site-specific flora and fauna into her cyanotypes, bearing witness to a moment of time and space that cannot be replicated. 

To make a cyanotype, a material such as paper or fabric is first coated with a light-sensitive salt solution or emulsion, a process unchanged since the mid-19th century. Next, in a dim environment, objects are arranged on the now UV-sensitive medium. When the composition is exposed to sunlight, a chemical reaction occurs changing the green emulsion to the characteristic blue, creating a unique monoprint.

Anna E Schink is a teaching artist and creative consultant working in camera-less photography with an emphasis on found and reclaimed objects. Her studio practice is a liminal space between the physical and ephemeral, drawing on embodiment practices of tarot, dream work, and hypnosis. She has exhibited internationally and been awarded grants for creative projects in Venice and Prague. Her work is included in the permanent collection of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University. Schink’s work is nourished by her role as an educator, where she mentors students to embrace process over product and cultivate creative resilience. She has managed four public darkrooms and lead workshops for artists aged 7 to 70, including the 2024 Tone-a-Rama at Aurora PhotoCenter.