On the Wings of Courage (Bessie Circling the Skies)

Title | On The Wings Of Courage (Bessie Circling The Skies) Type | Original 3-Dimensional Papercut Cyanotype Inspiration | Bessie Coleman
Year | 2024

Materials | Cyanotype, paper cut layers on handmade paper 15.2in frame diameter x 1.2in frame depth

Inspiration-

Bessie Coleman was a pioneer of the skies. Born in a world marked by racial and gender limitations, she set her sights on the heavens, becoming the first African American and Native American woman to earn an international pilot's license. With unwavering determination, she overcame adversity, carving a path through the skies that would inspire generations to come.

A lightning rod for feminism and civil rights at the turn of the twentieth century, Bessie's courage, ambition, and unyielding spirit transformed her into an aviator and a symbol of hope and empowerment, reminding us that the sky is never the limit for those who dare to dream.

Technique-

On The Wings Of Courage (Bessie's Circling the Skies) was created by constructing a hand-cut collage using female photographic portraiture, photographs and hand drawn illustrations of birds.

After coating the handmade paper with light-sensitive chemistry, it is left to dry in a dark room. The large-scale negative is contact printed onto the paper by exposure to daylight (UV rays). The print is then processed by thoroughly washing in water to remove any unexposed solution. It can then be hung to dry, developing to full density Prussian blue after 24 hours. Once dried, the bird pieces are cut out and mounted onto the base print to create a multi-layered, 3-dimensional collaged cyanotype.

Dimensions

Framed: 15.2in frame diameter x 1.2in frame depth

Paper

Handmade recycled cotton rag paper
150- 320gsm / 100% Cotton Rag / Recycled / Acid Free / Medium Rough

Mount

We use float mounting for all of our framed cyanotypes. The artwork floats above a snow-white 8001 mount board, to showcase the paper texture and deckled edging.

Framing

Framed artwork will arrive ready to hang.
Each frame is handmade by our London based design team.

All frames come with gallery spec, Artglass AR70 / 2mm anti-reflective/ 79% UV protected glazing as standard.