Solar Power | Cyanotypes with Elena Peña
Sunday, September 21, 2025
12–3pm
This workshop introduces participants to cyanotypes, one of the earliest photographic printing processes, known for its distinctive blue tone. Participants will learn how to prepare light-sensitive paper, create prints using objects and photographic negatives, and explore alternative approaches to composition and toning. The session will also include a brief overview of the history of cyanotypes and their continued relevance in contemporary practice.
Each participant will complete four unique prints to take home. All materials will be provided; participants are encouraged to bring small objects that may be used in the prints such as keys, ribbons, beads/jewelry, or small photo negatives. Wear clothing suitable for working with wet materials!
This workshop is free with registration (link below).
Image Gallery
Elena Peña's studio
About the Artist
Elena Hernandez-Peña (b. 1992, San Antonio, TX) is a mixed media artist based in Texas. She studied photography at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design and has since focused her practice on alternative photographic processes, utilizing diverse materials and techniques. Her work explores themes of memory, identity, and cultural narratives, often shedding light on pressing issues affecting Latinx and working-class communities in the United States. Over the years, Hernandez-Peña has exhibited throughout Texas, including at MASS Gallery in Austin, Texas and Women & Their Work in Red Dot Art Spree.
In 2021, Hernandez-Peña founded Problem Gallery in Marfa, Texas, a pop-up contemporary art space rooted in community collaboration. The ongoing project transforms underutilized spaces into temporary galleries, amplifying the voices of artists at different stages in their careers.
Elena Peña in her studio.