Saturday, September 12, 12:30 – 4:30pm 

Explorations in the Ecotone Field Study: Foraging for Photo Botanicals along the Genesee River

$10 suggested donation, limited to 12 people, wear walking shoes.

Sunday, September 13, 12:30 – 4:30pm 

Explorations in the Ecotone Workshop: making anthotypes with foraged botanicals 

$10 suggested donation, limited to 12 people, bring a picture frame.

In this two-day workshop, participants will explore the banks of the Genesee River, a waterway whose history reflects the evolving relationship between Rochester’s communities, industries, and ecosystems. Once heavily impacted by agricultural runoff, toxic discharges, and industrial pollution, the Genesee has become the focus of decades of ambitious cleanup, restoration, and revitalization efforts. As we walk the river’s edge, we will consider this complex environmental history and the ongoing work of reclaiming the river as a shared ecological and cultural resource. The walk will be led by exhibition artists and environmental historian Dr. Jeffrey Kosiorek. 

During the first day, participants will learn to identify and ethically collect displaced plant species found along the river corridor. These collected botanicals will serve as the raw materials for a range of experimental photographic processes. On the second day, participants will transform their collected materials into light-sensitive photographic emulsions. Through hands-on demonstrations and experimentation, we will explore how plants can be used to create photographic images while considering the ways artistic practice can engage with ecological stewardship, remediation, and place-based histories.

Participants may register for the full two-day workshop or attend only the first day, which includes the guided river walk, plant identification, and botanical collection.

[Registration]