hand wash (recommended)

hand wash in cold water with mild, eco-friendly dish soap is recommended to maximize the print's color, vibrancy, and overall longevity. like any printed t-shirt, washing will create some fading and wear over time, but washing by hand is the gentlest way to clean the fabric while ensuring your one of a kind t-shirt design lasts as long as possible.

machine wash

the most important thing to remember is that cyanotypes hate bleach, whitening agents, phosphate, and sodium-based chemicals. these chemicals will cause the print to fade in varying degrees based on the concentration in your detergent. the biggest offenders are bleach / whitening agents and phosphate.there are two types of bleaches: chlorine-based oxidizers like hypochlorite and calcium hypochlorite and non-chlorine oxidizers like hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate, and sodium perborate.while bleaches are helpful for certain parts of the cyanotype process (for example, i use a high concentration of sodium percarbonate to bleach prints prior to toning with tannin solutions), even low concentrations will slowly fade the print color.most detergents, even eco-friendly detergents, contain some sodium-based chemicals to soften water and lift stains. the key is to look for brands that contain as little as possible and as low down on the ingredient list (i.e., lower concentration).beyond detergent, it's best to avoid soaking and wash in cold water. t-shirts can be hung to dry or tumble dried at regular heat.

below are a few eco-friendly brands that i'd recommend trying:

ecos free and clear: contains sodium coco sulfate but no phosphates or bleach and only six ingredients.dropps: the odor & stain detergent, free & clear detergent, sensitive skin detergent, and activewear detergent only include tetrasodium glutamate diacetate as a sodium ingredient. no phosphates or bleach. however, their laundry additives like the odor eraser and oxi booster both have sodium carbonate (i.e., washing soda) which may cause the print to fade. this is the brand that i use for all my clothes.

Meet the Artist

I believe that a key component to creating art is observation. another is patience. growing up on a two acre lot a few miles outside of a small town in the 90s and 00s, i had ample time for observation. i spent summer mornings helping my dad weed in the garden or my mom can in the kitchen and the afternoons drawing and reading. i can attribute most of my artistic foundation to this period of my life where i was allowed to be curious, encouraged to be creative, and guided to be observant and patient.Throughout my life, my artistic practice has shifted in both medium and process. regardless of medium, at its core I'm constantly trying to reconnect with raw emotions, an authentic sense of self, and self-discovery. I focus on the feeling and process of creating art, even if these raw emotions aren't portrayed literally in the final piece.I'm frequently inspired by the natural world around me. I've always had a fascination for plants and incorporate botanical structures into many of my pieces. My love of folklore and the occult can often be seen in the subject matter of my work.