More Blueprints and collage

While exploring the River Mill Dam with the other artists during the Art Jam, I spied a group of tall cabinets with their doors where partially ajar, because each cabinet was stuffed to overflowing with rolls of paper which turned out to be blueprints. Some these were very special because they were actual cyanotypes from 1911, when the powerhouse was built. With permission I came home with a few of these treasures to make art on them. Then, while perusing the internet, I came across an early picture of a group of men from Estacada, who may have been Dam crew workers. I have drawn some of these men on top of the blueprints, in attempts to bring to life the extraordinary accomplishment of this dam and the brave workers who helped build and run it.

Doing artwork over such an extraordinary back ground with its brilliant, cyan blue and delicate white lines was a joyous challange. I had to keep the images very pared down and simple. In fact, I drew only with dry media, meaning pastel, conte' chalk and charcoal. No paint.