Artist Feature: Holly Estrow
Dictyota dichotoma in the young state and in fruit, by Anna Atkins, from Part XI of Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, 1849-1850
In 1842, a British astronomer by the name of John Herschel was trying to find a way of mass-producing his notes. Using a mixture of sodium thiosulfate and iron salts, he discovered he could develop his film negatives (photos taken of his notes) onto paper, resulting in deep blue photographs. He named them cyanotype prints, derived from the Greek word cyan — “dark-blue impression”.
Herschel’s methods caught the eye of Anna Atkins, who today is widely credited as the first-ever female photographer, and also the woman who put the cyanotype process on the map. Atkins, a botanist, similarly needed a way of recording her data. She used Herschel’s method of cyanotype printing to illustrate her botanical studies, recording different species of plants alongside her notes in the form of photograms. Today, Nantucket is home to a woman creating unique art using the very same process.
Holly Estrow grew up in New York, but her family introduced her to Nantucket at a young age. “My dad was passionate about surfing and oversand driving,” she said, “so when he first discovered Nantucket, he knew it would be a special place for the family.” Holly’s father would take her out to the island during the summer, where they would cruise the open beaches and surf together, learning to appreciate a laid back lifestyle.
Photos from Holly’s early years on island, enjoying the beaches with her father and mother.
When Holly was barely a teenager, she became interested in taking pictures. Her father was an artist — a talented illustrator and graphic designer — who also dabbled in photography. “I definitely got my creative side from him,” she explained. “When I was thirteen, I picked up his camera for the first time. I would shoot around the yard all day.” By the time she was in college, it had blossomed into a full-blown passion.
One of many unique cyanotype photographs by Holly
While attending the University of Colorado, Boulder, she landed a job working as a photographer for Boulder Lifestyle Magazine. That line of work was something she loved, but her school curriculum was largely focused on the “fine art” sector, which she says was never really her thing. Like many university students, she didn’t feel her courses were giving her the skills necessary to survive in the real world. Creatively stifled, she enrolled herself in an alternative processing course just before finishing up school. It was there that Holly was first exposed to printing cyanotype photographs. She immediately fell in love with the format, as it allowed her a more edgy and creative outlet. “I really wanted to continue with it after college,” she said, “but it was hard to find the space to do it.”
Similar to developing film in a darkroom, cyanotype printing requires a lot of space for storing and drying, printing materials, developing chemicals etc. It wasn’t till Holly moved to the island full time in that she had the studio space she needed.
In 2018, Holly’s father passed away. The two of them were very close, and she was seeking ways to cope with her loss. At the time, she and her partner Mike had been living in LA. Mike had lined up the prospect of a new job on island, and, in an amazing example of serendipity, she saw the opportunity to come back to a place that was both dear to her father and close to her heart. “We were welcomed by the community with wide-open arms… the surf community especially,” Holly remembered. “It was a great way for me to heal.”
With the support of her community and inspiration from the island, along with the perfect basement space in their new home, Holly was finally ready to start printing cyanotype photographs.
Take a walk through her home studio and it’s easy to see that she’s a creative individual. Her photography has an edge to it. She’s excellent at blending laid back elegance with a subtle badassery. “I prefer to shoot film,” she said. “I like the grittiness of it, and how it forces me to slow down.”
Once she was settled in her new studio, Holly completely fell in love with the cyanotype process all over again. She’s decided to elevate the passion to the next level — she has been promoting her work on a larger scale and releasing it for sale.. “One of the things I love most about being here is that, as an artist, the community allows you to feel like a big fish in a little pond,” she said. “It’s encouraging in a tiny place like this.”
Solar power. Holly, waiting for a cyanotype to develop. Photo: Dan LeMaitre
One of the unique aspects of a cyanotype print is that, while Holly can use the same transparency negative to produce multiple prints of the same image, each one will always have its own look. “Anyone who buys a print from me gets an original piece of art,” Holly continued. “There will always be little inconsistencies in each print, and that’s what makes each one special.”
Because of the way Holly works, there’s a lot of customization that can go into each print. Cyanotypes are developed in the sunlight: the longer they expose, the darker they become. This allows for a wide range of blues and contrasts. That being said, commissions are definitely possible. Whether it’s one of her current blueprint images, or a custom photograph, she can make it happen. “One customer wanted me to photograph a particular beach out in Madaket where she and her partner had the best day playing in the waves and make it into a custom cyanotype print, eternalizing the memory.”
Either way, you are getting a one-of-a-kind cyanotype treasure.
Today, Holly continues to live and work on island year-round, selling online, at the Sustainable Nantucket Farmers & Artisans Market, and at pop-ups across the island. She is grateful for the local community, and has very much become a part of it. Just like her father, she has fallen in love with Nantucket and all that it has to offer. The same open beaches and empty waves that the two of them used to enjoy together are now central to her life and critical to her art.
Holly’s collection of cyanotype prints are available via www.blueprintnantucket.com
Her photography portfolio can be viewed at www.hollyestrow.com
You can also follow her on Instagram: @hollyraee_photo + @blueprint_nantucket
