Statement
Under the umbrella of the Griffin Museum’s overarching topic of “Down Garden Paths,” Palmer’s Flora is an exploration of beauty as an antidote for personal and political crisis. Writer and philosopher John O’Donohue states, “I think that beauty is not a luxury, but that it ennobles the heart and reminds us of the infinity that is within us.”  That idea resonates with me and inspired this project.  The images are made from plants and flowers gathered during walks in my neighborhood or in my backyard, which are photographed, printed on vellum, and hand applied gold leaf, varnish, and wax to the prints to create the final images.  The project takes reference from Anna Atkins’s botanical studies as well as surrealist photographers who manipulated imagery and materials.

The Flora images are archival inkjet vellum prints with either 24k or 18k gold leaf applied to the back of the print by hand.  The print is then varnished with an archival UV varnish and a wax is applied to the front of the prints.

Bio
Marcy Palmer’s work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally at The Center for Photographic Art (Carmel, CA), The Griffin Museum of Photography, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, The Berlin Biennial of Fine Art and Documentary Photography (GE), The Brighton Photo Fringe Festival (UK), The Brooklyn Museum of Art, The Center for Fine Art Photography, The Photomedia Center, The Watershed Media Centre (UK), Center on Contemporary Art in Seattle, WA, and other venues.  Marcy’s work won Gold in the Fine Art, Abstract category of the PX3, Prix de la Photographie, Paris 2016 awards. Her work was also a finalist in the Fine Art Category for the 7th Edition of the Julia M Cameron Awards.   Marcy has an MFA in Photography & Related Media from the School of Visual Arts and a BS in Studio Art from Skidmore College.

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