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 learn more, click here to read the full artist statement about the Sustain Series.
Harvesting Heirloom Tomatoes in August
Harvesting Heirloom Tomatoes in August
Imagine cradling an basketfull of sun-warmed heirloom tomatoes, each one a different shape and size, their smooth skin still radiating August heat. Can you imagine the distinctive tomato-vine scent filling the air as you brush past fuzzy leaves, already anticipating the complex flavors each variety will bring to your table? Picture the satisfying weight of your harvest, the reward for months of tender care given to seedlings planted in May. In this moment you feel connected to generations of gardeners who carefully saved, bred, and passed down these precious heirloom seeds so you could enjoy this abundance. The sharply focused basket of abundant tomatoes cradled in the arms of the gardener in vintage-styled clothing contrasts dramatically against the softly focused tomato plants in the background, framed in the deep Prussian blue of this handmade cyanotype print. This artwork expresses the profound satisfaction when care is rewarded with abundance, the connection across generations of seed stewards, and the remarkable diversity preserved through heirloom varieties.
Imagine this gratifying artwork in your kitchen or dining room, where the vintage styling sparks conversations about growing heirlooms and honoring the gardeners who came before us. Guests who grow tomatoes share their favorite varieties or express renewed commitment to saving seeds and supporting seed diversity. The piece connects to that universal satisfaction of nurturing plants through an entire season and harvesting the fruits of patient labor. This artwork celebrates the culmination of months of care and our role as stewards of the seed diversity that sustains us all.
“This artwork is titled “Harvesting Heirloom Tomatoes in August”. It depicts the moment of satisfaction where the tender care I have given to my plants rewards me with an abundant harvest. It honors the generations of gardeners who have come before me who bred, stewarded and passed down heirloom seeds so that we may enjoy and appreciate the great variety of delicious varieties of tomatoes.”
This signed and numbered handmade cyanotype contact print is created using the Prussian blue cyanotype process on 65% recycled cotton archival watercolor paper, ensuring both longevity and connection to photographic artistic traditions dating back to the 1840s. 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 brush marks 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 envision 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.
