The serene blue color palette of the cyanotype conjures the inner peace Ivana experiences through connecting with the life giving capacities of the earth, through cultivation and care of her organic garden.
To connect the themes in her project to the history of American vegetable gardening, especially the WWII era victory gardens, where Americans grew 60% of their produce during the war, Ivana creates prints with a vintage aesthetic. She evokes a sense of nostalgia for a time when more people grew food in the backyard and community gardens by using an analog 8" x 10" camera to record in exquisite detail the tender care given to the garden and the beautiful fruits and vegetables she gets in return. These limited edition prints are handmade cyanotypes on cotton paper containing 65% recycled fiber. To learn more, click here to read the full artist statement about the Sustain Series.
Watch This Video To Discover the Cyanotype Process
Big Boys in July
Big Boys in July
Envision standing beneath your towering tomato vines and marveling at how the eight-foot tall trellis dwarfs you completely. Can you imagine the fuzzy tomato leaves brushing your arms as you reach for smooth, heavy Big Boy tomatoes weighing down the vines? Picture the distinctive tomato-leaf scent on your hands and the summer heat on your skin as you anticipate fresh tomato sandwiches and rich homemade sauce. The vintage-styled clothing evokes a time when growing your own food was an act of patriotism and self-sufficiency was a cherished virtue. The silhouette of the gardener and towering tomato trellises contrasts dramatically against the deep Prussian blue background of this handmade cyanotype print. This artwork expresses the pride in cultivating impressively productive plants and connects us to an era when backyard gardens fed communities and strengthened our bond with the earth.
Envision this inspiring artwork in your kitchen or dining room, where it sparks conversations about victory gardens reimagined for sustainable living and climate stability. Guests who garden share their own stories of ambitious trellising or marvel at the height of abundance depicted, while friends recognize the vintage styling that honors a more self-reliant time. The piece connects to that universal desire to reclaim food security and grow what we eat with our own hands. This artwork celebrates the towering ambition of gardeners and the enduring value of self-sufficiency in service of a stable climate.
“In this artwork I highlight my trellised tomatoes that grew 8’ tall in my garden. ”
This signed and numbered handmade cyanotype contact print is created using the historic cyanotype process on archival watercolor paper, ensuring both longevity and connection to photographic traditions dating back to the 1840s. As part of the Sustain series, this piece represents my commitment to using sustainable, light-sensitive processes that align with the environmental values depicted in the artwork itself. Each cyanotype is hand coated with a hand crafted light sensitive iron based emulsion in the darkroom, exposed in UV light, and developed in vinegar water. This process introduces subtle variations in brushmarks along the edges and tone that are integral to this historic process. Due to the handmade nature of cyanotype printing, no two prints are exactly identical. The watermark is only for internet display and will not be on your artwork. The artwork comes unframed. This artwork is available in a limited edition of 15 at 8"x 10", 3 at 20" x 24", 2 at 24" x 30" +1 AP at each size. Each piece is signed and numbered. If you need help to envison how it will look a free digital mockup is available so you can see exactly how it will look in your space before adding it to your collection. Contact Ivana for this service.
Currently no. 1/15 is available for you to enjoy.
