One of the workshops at this years Connect with Nature Conference was titled “A Blueprint for Wellbeing”. It was a collaborative experiment between artist Natalie Taylor and medical herbalist Anna Canning (Floramedica). Participants worked with Natalie and Anna to explore some of the medicinal properties of common Scottish plants before assembling them into art work in the form of a large cyanotype banner. It was both informative and fun. Here are some photos of the making of the banner.

The light sensitive material was placed on the ground and a volunteer positioned.
Different plants were added to the banner with details of their properties.
Sheets of perspex kept the plants and labels flat.
After about ten minutes everything was removed.
‘Development’ is just washing in cold water.
The image begins to appear.
On closer inspection …
… it has worked perfectly.
The material is rung out.
The triumphal unveiling.
We discussed how well the different plant shapes had appeared.
It is like an X-ray.
The banner was processed back to the lecture hall.
Past the cottage.
Engaging with garden visitors.
Past the Palm House.
And down the Main Range steps.
Anna and Natalie pose with the finished work.
The banner is a backdrop to the ending of the conference.