Wendy Phillips: My Ancestors' Garden

The family photos I inherited from my mother and cousin were the inspiration for these photo based mixed media pieces. I am a gardener, and my garden is a personal and spiritual place for me. It seemed the appropriate place to honor my ancestors. I photographed the family photos in the space of the garden and made silver gelatin prints that were then sepia toned. I worked on the surface of the print with photo oils and mixed media, to bring back the three dimensionality of the natural garden.

Florence and Mabel, 2005 mixed media on photo 24" x 20"

Alberta Day, 2006 mixed media on photo 24" x 20"

Little Cousin Elsie 2, 2006 mixed media on photo 20" x 24"

Moon Dreams, 2006 mixed media on photo 20" x 24"

Little Cousin Elsie, 2006 mixed media on photo 20" x 24"

Unrecognized Ancestors, 2006 mixed media on photo 20" x 24"