Forces of Nature

Since moving to the Midwest, I notice that in late March and early April my nose itches, my eyes water, and incessant sneezing commences. Curious as to the source of my misery, I began to collect parts of trees that had fallen to the ground or were hanging from branches within reach of my outstretched hands. Like the naturalists of the 19th century who used photography to record their botanical specimens, I scan what I have collected into the computer to make a negative and which is printed in the Van Dyke Brown process. Using Kozo Unryu Japanese paper, the intensity of the brown color and the interaction of the swirling paper fibers provide the unexpected to an image so grounded in the scientific. The final image alludes to the dreamy, som