< EVENTS

Kevin Rose Schultz

and Jessie Swimeley

Threads We Share

On June 10th at 7 pm Soho Photo Gallery will be presenting two photographic artists, Kevin Rose Schultz and Jessie Swimeley. They will share with us the work they do with cyanotype emulsion on fabric. Schultz has crafted cyanotype quilts, dresses, jackets, and scarves. She often uses embroidery techniques to embellish these garments. She will walk us through some of her techniques and instruct us on the care of cyanotype garments.

Jessie Swimeley will talk about her cyanotype work, highlighting her “Pandemic in Blue” quilt project. During COVID, she sent materials to over 50 artists in her community, asking them to create a cyanotype image on fabric that reflected how they were feeling about “their time in isolation, the pandemic, and the fight for social justice.”

This FREE, virtual event will be held on Zoom. Please Register to receive the Zoom link which will be emailed to you a few days before the event.

About Kevin Rose Schultz

Kevin is an artist and educator. In 2019, she retired from teaching high school art and began exploring cyanotype printing in her own art practice. Her alternative photography practice includes printing full-size vintage garments, old photos, and botanicals onto paper and fabric. Kevin works in textiles, photography, mixed media, and ceramics. Three local galleries represent her work, and she has exhibited nationally and internationally. Kevin continues to teach workshops and sells her textile art in local art fairs.

Artists Statement:

My work explores cyanotypes through fine art and wearable art. Most of my wearable art comes from upcycling denim. I bleach certain areas of the denim, then print with botanicals that I have foraged and pressed to create interesting designs on fabric. I sell these at local art fairs and in local galleries. Recently, I have created fabric with vintage family photos and have made capes for the “Roots” themed fashion show at Harrison County Arts in Corydon, Indiana.

The first cyanotype art quilt I made was for the 100th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage and the Vote. That was in early 2020. My more recent art quilts are small, incorporating old family photographs with images of my mom and grandmother. I draw with Prismacolor pencils to add color and embellish with embroidery. My maternal grandmother was a huge inspiration in my life. She was a traditional quilter and always had a project going. I didn’t think I would ever make a quilt, but I find that it works so well with the cyanotype process on fabric!

View Kevin’s work on Instagram@Kevin Rose Schultz and on Instagram@leafpoetree

About Jessie Swimeley

Jessie Swimeley (b. 1979) is a photographer, printmaker, and mixed media artist based in Caldwell, Idaho. Her work often explores the relationship between people and nature. Her use of analog processes helps her find a physical connection to her work and her subjects. Jessie received her BA in Photography from the University of Oregon in 2002. Her work has been displayed in exhibits and galleries throughout the United States. She has taken top honors in printmaking with her cyanotypes at Art and Soul (Twin Falls, Idaho) in 2022 and 2024. Jessie is a member of Boise Open Studios, and the Nature Printing Society.

Artists Statement:

My cyanotype practice was born from the need to be connected to my work again. I craved the physical connection I had with my photographs before I went digital. I grew up in a darkroom and for better or worse I was always poking and prodding and touching my prints. Cyanotype gave me that feeling again. It allowed me to handle my work throughout the entire process. Working with fabric, embroidering and quilting became another way for me to be in touch with my work.

Making cyanotypes is also so wonderfully shareable. It is a fairly simple process that anyone can do. I have a deep love of bringing cyanotype printing into communities. My first cyanotype quilt was created as a way to stay connected with my community during the height of the pandemic in 2020. I created a “Workshop by Mail” with the support of local art organizations. People received all their supplies by mail and watched a youtube video to create their cyanotypes. When they were done, they mailed their artwork back to me. “Pandemic in Blue” (the quilt) is the work of many people alone-together sharing their positive and negative feelings about the COVID 19 pandemic.

As an artist, process is important to me. I love (and sometimes hate) the fiddly bits of creating works through multiple steps. Starting with an image, creating a cyanotype, then using that print to create a block in a quilt is very satisfying. I don’t come from a long line of quilters. I learned from a roommate. I will be forever grateful that she shared her skills with me.

View Jessie’s work on her website and on Instagram