Alexa and the Cyanotypes — what a great name for a rock band. That said, our artistic endeavor with Alexa Summers was to feature not electric guitars and loud music, but pressed flowers and the mixing photo-sensitive paint solutions.

It was Avril’s idea. She had met Alexa at Ludlow market one day, and was admiring the cyanotype prints that Alexa was selling at her craft stall. They decided to embark on a team project of teaching cyanotype art classes that would be held in Avril’s barn-workshop. The classes run as all-day affairs, encompassing the basic principles of cyanotype printing, gathering of flowers from Avril’s beautiful garden to use in the prints, a pause for an Avril-cooked gourmet lunch, and an afternoon of making prints that, at the end of the afternoon, are ready to frame and take home

Linda and I were lucky to be invited to join a class that was taking place on the Saturday, and we would highly recommend it to any budding artists out there. Visit Alexa's website for more information and read her story below, she has had a fascinating life

Alexa's Story

I have lived in Ludlow for almost five years now but have been visiting family members here for more like twenty-five. Having grown up in the rolling hills of Western Worcestershire only a half hour’s drive away I’ve been blessed to have had access to the three counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and the Marches, and all they offer. I’m a country girl born and bred even though my parents were originally Londoners, and I have spent many years overseas in Africa and Asia (mainly rural Thailand) working in Teaching and Community Development and agricultural projects.

2020 saw a massive shift for my husband and I back to England. Visa issues caused us to make a trip back home and then Covid 19 struck, and we were locked down here for 18 months as Thailand kept its borders firmly shut. But every cloud has a silver lining. We decided to embrace the unexpected change and began to build a new life here in Ludlow, and I love it!

I originally trained in Fine Art before going into teaching, and the one thing I did know amidst all the uncertainty of the pandemic was that I wanted to focus on finding joy in the small everyday acts of creativity and sharing that with others. It was at this time that I was introduced to Cyanotype printing and also stumbled upon the joy of making Art with Coffee, for which I blame/thank my husband who was involved in helping coffee farmers in the mountains of Northern Thailand. Both are very different techniques but with the common thread of celebrating nature. I’ve noticed that wherever I’ve been in the world, my inner calendar is unswervingly calibrated to the seasons and flowers of the gardens and hedgerows of my childhood. No matter if it’s March in Thailand at 40°C and dry as parchment, or a Zambian Monsoon, my brain still says ‘March = Primroses’. I particularly love the immediacy and realism of the Cyanotype technique which blends photography and artistic creativity. It has a timeless yet ephemeral effect and each piece is a unique one-off print, which to me reflects the lifespan and cycle of the plants portrayed. I am also an unashamed promoter of the humble weed; the overlooked beauty of the ordinary; and so, my pictures often represent these as well as the plants that we all love to see in our gardens year-round.

And what of sharing it with others? That’s where I was introduced to the amazing vibrancy of the Local to Ludlow Produce and Craft Market every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month form 10am -2pm, where I now sell my art and craft. Ludlow has markets on almost every day of the week, whether it be the General Market or those with a specific focus, and at the Local to Ludlow Market I found a wonderful group of like-minded traders who are passionate about their craft, whether it be home-grown and pressed apple juice; organic fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products; delicious food and drink; amazing floral creations; alpaca, sheep and goat wool products; lovingly tended plants; anything and everything bee-related; handmade soaps, jewellery, pottery, wood-craft, willow weavings, sculptures, paintings and crafts of every kind; every one of them is growing, harvesting, and creating amazing things from the natural environment, much of it very local to the Marches.

There are often special Artisan Markets a few times a year such as Makers Markets every Tuesday in August and Tinsel Tuesdays in December. Whatever the weather we are there welcoming visitors from far and wide and proudly displaying our local produce. We especially love it when the coach trips come in bearing visitors from The United States and Australia. Ludlow has so much to offer all year-round in terms of quaint shops, ancient historical buildings, entertainment and eateries as well as the beautiful countryside, and the locals are wonderfully warm and welcoming. The only criticism we hear from our day-trippers is that they wish they had longer to explore. So many people have been inspired to come back for a longer visit and I’ve lost count of the number of people who said that they loved it so much that they upped sticks and moved here!

I also share my love of Cyanotype by running Cyanotype Workshops in nearby Richards Castle, hosted by the wonderful Avril from Broomers Barn and Food Friends Flowers, whom I met on my market stall. No previous experience is necessary on our courses and anyone coming along not only gets to learn the art of Cyanotype but also gets to enjoy the beauty of Avril and Ian’s home and garden, their delicious food and the wonderful hospitality that they have to offer.

Recently I have also had the pleasure of collaborating with a social enterprise that I was involved with in Thailand called Ariyah Designs. They help local Tribal women to use their traditional sewing and weaving skills and train them to create products which are sold worldwide. This gives them the otherwise scarce opportunity of a good job with a fair wage and to be able to work from home so that they can stay with their children. The products are all skilfully handcrafted to a high quality and my Cyanotype fabric pieces are being crafted into Ariyah Design handbags to create unique one-of-a-kind bags for different occasions. It is vastly satisfying to be involved in this project and therefore still be able to help the poor and disadvantaged in Thailand whilst enjoying the beauty of life in the Welsh Marches. The best of both worlds!