Fiona Works on the fringes of photography using cameraless techniques, expired and exposed photographic papers, obsolete glass photographic plates and homemade photographic developers based on plant extracts, washing soda and wood ash. The abstract work consists of photograms, phytograms and chemigrams, all techniques that require neither camera nor darkroom.

Inspired by rummaging simple historical photographic chemistry and a desire to explore a less toxic photographic practice she records the intimate conversations between developers and long expired photographic papers.

‘As an artist I am many hatted. I sit somewhere between maker, photographer, alchemist, witch, scientist and experimental archaeologist. The studio is creative space, playground and laboratory. What thrills, delights and excites me is eavesdropping on the conversations between light, materials and chemistry, to me the science feels like magic. What drives me is an overwhelming need to make, a curiosity and a desire to experiment and create through manipulating and adapting photographic processes.’

The work starts with a question or a problem, an irresistible itch to understand a particular process. Through a series of experiments the work evolves through a collaboration between artist, materials and chance. The materials and methods become the artist, the experiments become the art, artist becomes the curator, artifacts become facts, the answer becomes the next question and onto the next experiment. The work is never finished, it’s an ever-evolving series of experimental outcomes, a celebration of imperfect images, materials and process.