Blue. by Margo Smith
cSPACE Marda Loop
Cubby Gallery Level 2
October 20 – November 8, 2025
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Closed Sundays)
Margo’s artistic practice focuses on cyanotypes and paper sculpture. Cyanotypes are a camera-less photographic process developed in 1842, in which paper or fabric is coated with a light-sensitive chemical solution and exposed to sunlight or UV light, producing the deep blue pigment known as Prussian blue.
The works in this exhibition are photograms, created by placing objects directly onto the light-sensitive surface to form negative images. Margo explores abstract compositions using transparent materials such as vellum, plastics, and paper. Through this process, she captures the physical ways light interacts with each material, producing soft, layered images that evoke a floating sense of depth.
Guided by an interest in geometric shapes, lines, and patterns, Margo’s practice examines how forms shift through process and material. A core aspect of the cyanotype method for her is the balance between control and unpredictability—unexpected results often lead to new inspiration and direction, allowing projects to evolve organically from hands-on experimentation.
Many of the prints serve as foundations for Margo’s three-dimensional sculptures and installations. By reimagining a traditionally two-dimensional medium as sculptural form, she investigates how light, texture, and structure can extend an image beyond a flat plane. Hand stitching and embroidery appear throughout her work, adding tactile detail and emphasizing the transformation from print to object.
About the Artist:
Margo Smith is a Calgary based artist and educator, committed to making visual arts accessible for all. She designs and leads workshops, programs, and gallery experiences that make art feel accessible, engaging, and relevant. Her art practice is focused on cyanotypes and paper sculpture.
Contact Info:
unravelarts.ca
@unravelarts.education
unravelartseducation@gmail.com
