Vermont photographer Benjamin Aleshire offers a Botanical “Borscht” Workshop to Teach Artists how to Print with Beet Juice -Sunday, Oct. 26 th from 1-4pm at Epsilon Spires. Hosted in partnership with In Situ Polyculture. All materials provided! Participants will learn the basics of two forms of alternative printing processes from the 1800s which utilize natural materials such as beets. At this first-ever “Borscht Edition”, excess materials will be added to a pot of borscht that will simmer as the workshop goes on and be served afterwards with homemade bread, sour cream and dill!
Cyanotype, which produces rich Prussian Blue tones, is a simple iron-salt solution that was widely used for architectural blueprints, and requires no darkroom equipment. Pioneering botanist Anna Atkins used cyanotype to document fern and algae species, producing exquisite images which became the first photography book ever published. Participants can utilize local flora to make botanical prints in this style—and analog or digital photographers can use this process as well: even an old smartphone is sufficient quality to print successfully with cyanotype onto paper or fabric. With a bit of practice and the skills learned in this workshop, you could even create custom cyanotype clothing.
With Anthotype (Greek for flower-printing), no chemistry is needed at all: instead of the chemical solution used for cyanotype, participants will utilize 100% natural pigments to create striking images using fresh beetroot juice. Anthotype is a slower process: much like the patience required to farm these vegetables and fruits, the image will need to gradually expose in the sun over the course of several weeks before it can be “harvested.”
Instructor Benjamin Aleshire developed these techniques while artist-in-residence at the Generator Makerspace in Burlington in 2022, at In Situ Polyculture in 2024—and while living in Athens, Greece, and using the vegetables from farmers’ markets to print anthotypes on the rooftop. A recipient of grants and fellowships from the VT Arts Council and the VT Studio Center, Benjamin is the Creative Director of Aleshire Gallery in Brandon, VT.
You may also like the following events from Epsilon Spires:
- Next Friday, 3rd October, 07:00 pm, TETHER + REVENGE BODY + NOISE NOMADS in Brattleboro
- Next Saturday, 4th October, 07:00 pm, I WAS BORN, BUT... Ozu's Masterpiece w/ Cello Score by Lori Goldston in Brattleboro
- Next month, 9th October, 07:30 pm, GANJA & HESS (1973) in Brattleboro
Also check out other
Workshops in Brattleboro,
Arts events in Brattleboro,
Photography events in Brattleboro.
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