Sue Abramson

Zone Blue

In the book Imagine Jonah Lehrer writes, “The color blue automatically triggers associations with the sky and ocean. We think about expansive horizons and diffuse light, sandy beaches and lazy summer days; alpha waves instantly increase. This sort of mental relaxation makes it easier to daydream and pay attention to insights; we’re less focused on what’s right in front of us and more aware of the possibilities simmering in our imaginations.”

For me the color blue rendered in a cyanotype print evokes the feelings and experiences conveyed in Lehrer’s text. The above excerpt also perfectly describes the concept behind the making of these photographs. The work was made over a period of several years in a variety of locations. Walking while photographing often puts my brain in the zone, a heightened mental space that enhances my creativity. At the same time the seductive quality and color of the nineteenth century cyanotype process, embodies the harmony I feel when experiencing the natural world. This work is an affirmation of the history of photographic landscape and a glimpse of the sublime.