CBCA is proud to present Herbarium, a solo exhibition featureing 56 prints by Heather Sandifer. Sandifer’s prints are a stealth powerhouse of technical proficiency and tender reverence for her botanical subjects. Through her custom printing process Heather Sandifer seamlessly blends scientific accuracy with her own artistic interpretation of each leaf and branch she portrays in celebration of each specimen and its unique spirit.
 
Heather Sandifer is best known for her delicate and precise prints featuring various botanical specimen. Her custom printing process combines elements from traditional nature printing in which prints are taken directly from a natural object, and from monotypes in which Sandifer applies various metal paints, acid washes, and pigments to the surfaces of the specimens to encourage different textures and colors in the final product. Additionally, Sandifer utilizes other techniques such as brushwork, drawing, and working color both on top of and underneath the translucent vellum she typically uses. The result is this 140-step process is a unique print that both preserves the technical accuracy or the subject’s original form and allows Sandifer to imbue the piece with her personal interpretation of her subject.
 
Heather Sandifer’s deep respect and affection for nature and for every of her meticulously selected specimens shines through in each print. By combining the technical accuracy of nature printing with the artistic interpretation of monotypes Sandifer is able to convey both the natural beauty of every specimen and her own impressions of her subjects’ unique characteristics, what Sandifer describes as it’s spirit. By portraying each of her subjects against a clean white background Sandifer straddles the line between sterile scientific display and portraiture, not only conveying the actuality of her subject but revealing some ineffable element of character as well. Viewing each piece as a collaboration between herself and leaves, blooms, and branches she portrays, Sandifer depicts the accurate and detailed translation of her subjects’ form and features while also using choices such as color and position to express something unique to the botanical. Her stark presentation showcases the unvarnished natural beauty of every curve, ridge, and tear of the plants she depicts, affording each the same level of respect, affection, and attention. There is an unexpected intimacy in every print as Sandifer dedicates each print to the sole consideration of a singular leaf. Her loving attention for such common place items which we may regularly encounter without much thought encourages viewers to pause and consider the mundane a little more closely.