illuminate

This book features the creative works of Willow Arts Community members who participated in a series of photography and poetry classes throughout the arts education programming of 2024. Curated and edited by Amber Lee Williams and Dani RJ Hummel, it weaves together a collection of photographs and poems.

Participants explored three types of experimental photography in the classes taught by Amber: cyanotypes in the winter, anthotypes in the spring, and lumens in the fall. With the use of light and chemistry, participants explored personal meaning and symbolism using both old photographs from personal archives, and photograms—a form of cameraless photography involving objects and plants.

Each photographic medium has unique aesthetic qualities that were conceptually explored. Cyanotypes, with their blue hues, evoke memories and reflections of the past. Anthotypes, which are created with handmade plant-based emulsions, are inherently ephemeral, fading slightly with each exposure to light—a poetic reminder of impermanence. Lumens, made using expired silver gelatin photo paper, glow with an energy that alludes to the remnants and impressions left behind.

Running parallel to the photography classes, poetry sessions facilitated by Dani echoed the themes and physical qualities of the photographic mediums. In winter, the poetry prompts centered on nostalgia and the emotional resonance of the colour blue. In spring, participants explored the idea of alchemy, and the impermanence of existence. Fall’s writing delved into themes of loss, growth, and the cyclical nature of life and death.

With guidance and encouragement from Amber, Dani, and their peers, participants selected and submitted their work to this publication. The book’s structure itself mirrors the often nonlinear nature of life. Rather than presenting the works in chronological order, they have been thoughtfully paired and arranged based on thematic connections across mediums and seasons. This approach feels particularly meaningful for the Willow Arts Community, where the realities of mental illness and substance use rarely follow a linear path.

illuminate is more than just a collection of photographs and poems; it represents a shared experience. Participants explored their own creative processes while discovering connections between their work, their peers, and the shared themes that emerged.

This collection highlights how personal exploration and group expression can reveal surprising links between art and individual identity. illuminate celebrates creativity and the ability of art to connect people, reflecting the complexities of life and the voices within the Willow Arts Community.