A chance to make something blue-tiful

Are you the type that would like to learn about cyanotypes? As luck would have it, a class on Botanical Cyanotype Prints is one of the new learning opportunities offered by the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts this spring. The fun one-day class will be held at the Newport Visual Arts Center on Tuesday, April 23, and Saturday, April 27.

Adults and kids in grades six and higher will have the opportunity to learn about and create their own botanical prints with local artist Christina Carlsen. In the workshop, participants will learn not only what cyanotypes are, but also how to create a contact print in this unique medium using dried botanicals to create a work of art. Some will be supplied, but you may feel free to bring your own if you choose. Dried ferns, flowers, leaves and seaweed work well for this process. The instructor will cover the process of mixing the cyanotype solution and coating the paper, but to save time in this one-day class, prints will be made using pre-treated watercolor paper.

Crafted for beginners, participants will learn and explore in a friendly, hands-on environment, but experienced artists are welcome. Everyone will leave the class with a unique piece of art that they have created.

Carlsen is a local watercolor artist and photographer. She attended college in Utah and graduated with a BFA, with a focus on alternative photography. One of her favorite alternative photography methods is cyanotypes. She loves the rich blue and white results the technique yields and, over the years, she has experimented with different ways to use it in her art practice.

The Tuesday, April 23, class is from 5 to 8 pm and the Saturday, April 27, class is from 1 to 4 pm. Tuition is $65, and scholarships are available. The Newport Visual Arts Center is located at 777 NW Beach Drive. For more information, go to coastarts.org or call 541-265-6540.