Michelle Leone Huisman’s CMYK9: the Finale of a Critically-Acclaimed Photography Trilogy

July 1, 2023July 6, 2023 Arpita Ghosal

Michelle Leone Huisman, a Vancouver-based fine art photographer with strong ties to Toronto, has unveiled the highly anticipated final instalment of her photography trilogy CMYK9 at Bob Carnie’s Silvershack Gallery at 1681 Dundas St W. in Toronto. Running until July 15, the show builds on the remarkable style seen in her previous works An Unexpected Collection and Global Pandemic. In it, Huisman captures the essence of pandemic pets through striking, hand-painted, limited edition portraits using a 19th Century printing technique called tri-colour gum bichromate.

With a Bachelor of Photo Arts degree from Toronto Metropolitan University, Huisman has pursued what she calls a “bit of a meandering path” in the creative arts. Yet from set decorating for television commercials to providing interior design services to pursuing freelance photography, she has consistently found ways to incorporate her photographic skills into her projects, and use them to create meaning: “As a fine art photographer and community advocate, I really enjoy connecting global themes and macro trends within our local community,” she explains. “I love blending contemporary artforms and subjects with older, more handcrafted printing techniques.”

CMYK9 was inspired by the profound impact of pets during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The show offers a unique perspective on a challenging – and for many, a sad – time. Huisman has approached the trilogy with hope and love, seeking to answer such questions as: How have our pets perceived the world? Have our relationships with them influenced our perception of reality? Have our emotional bonds with our furry companions carried us through the most challenging times?

Huisman’s creative inspiration is equal parts sociological and artistic: “I wanted to explore our social relationship with our pets and their changing view of the world during this time. While we know dogs have dichromatic vision (they are only able to see in two colours), I’ve imagined their colour spectrum changing as dramatically as our lives did over the last three years.”

And her meticulous printing process provides a means to render her vision and ensure that the artwork stands the test of time. Using the tri-colour gum bichromate technique, which is renowned for maintaining quality for more than 500 years, each piece is meticulously hand-brushed on carefully selected paper. Despite starting with the same negative, no two images are alike, and the process of creating each one-of-a-kind image can take up to five days or more.

Of course, “CMYK” is the acronym for the four colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and key) used in printing, which set the stage for the vibrant and visually arresting portraits featured in the show. And the title’s punning addition of the number 9 pays homage to the beloved canine (“K9”) friends turned models, who play the central role in Huisman’s artistic exploration.

Admission to CMYK9 at Silvershack is free, offering the opportunity for art enthusiasts and pet lovers alike to experience Huisman’s masterpieces firsthand. And Huisman’s commitment to making a positive impact extends beyond merely exhibiting these stunning works: she is donating the proceeds from the sales of CMYK9 portraits in Toronto to the Ontario SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). And after the show’s Toronto premiere, CMYK9 will head to Janaki Larsen Studios in Vancouver from October 19 to November 29, 2023.

During CMYK9’s Toronto exhibition, Huisman spoke with Sesayarts about the origin and appeal of CMYK9, and took us inside the incredibly meticulous process of creating these artworks.

Sesayarts: How did you conceive of the idea for your new Toronto premiere exhibit – CMYK9, which is centred around pandemic pets? ( I was one of only a handful of people that I know who were able to adopt a puppy from the Toronto Humane Society at the height of the pandemic, so it certainly caught my attention!)

MH: During the pandemic, I met many people who either already had pets or adopted new pets to alleviate stress, anxiety or even to help with the loneliness of being stuck at home while the world was becoming more socially distant. I felt lucky that our family had adopted a new puppy just a few months before the declaration of the global pandemic. As I contemplated how much joy and colour our dog Vader brought to our home, I felt very grateful for the role pets play in our lives and how much unconditional love they have for us.

CMYK9 is the third project in my pandemic trilogy. From the beginning, I’ve felt creatively compelled to archive some meaning from this global social contagion. We have seen some of the best and worst human behaviour, and we’re still learning about the long-term physical, environmental and social impacts from COVID-19. In CMYK9, I wanted to explore our social relationship with our pets and their changing view of the world during this time.

Sesayarts: Do you want to speak about your technique for these artworks, tri-colour gum bichromate, and why you chose it?

MH: Similar to the photographs of An Unexpected Collection and Global Pandemic, the photographs of CMYK9 are printed using a 19th Century technique called tri-colour gum bichromate. The technique’s timelessness, craftsmanship and originality resonate with my approach to fine art photography. I chose it out of a sense of archival responsibility. The enduring quality of the print ensures they can be passed down to generations to come.

On a more technical side, a preshrunk fine art paper (I used Hahnemühle 100% Cotton Rag®) is hand-brushed with a specific chemistry of pigment using black or palladium first. Fixing the negative to the dried substrate, the image is then exposed to UV light in a burner. The metal-halide screen exposure system vacuums the print and negative together to create a very close contact during exposure that is important for highly detailed artwork. The paper is then put into 3 different stop baths of at least 10 minutes each.

This hand-painted application process is then repeated for each pigment layer Yellow, Magenta, then Cyan and can be repeated a virtually unlimited number of times to create the desired effect. As you might expect with this crafted process, no two images are alike, despite starting with the same negative. Each one-of-a-kind image can take up to five days or more to process.

Sesayarts: Who should come and see CMYK9, and what would you like people to know about the exhibition?

MH: If you’re a dog lover, pet-owner, passionate about fine art or simply interested in appreciating unique, hand-crafted artwork, I think you’ll really enjoy the show. It is so colourful and playful and yet I hope it genuinely connects with people about how meaningful our pets are in our lives and how much unconditional love and support they provide us every day.

Sesayarts: What would you like to add that I didn’t ask?

MH: I’m thrilled to be showing again at Bob Carnie’s Silvershack Gallery in Toronto. CMYK9 will be on display with free admission through July 15. I wanted to share that in support of our loving animal friends, partial proceeds of all prints sold will go to the SPCA. And finally, if you have a pet – dog, cat, hamster, goldfish, snake, salamander, or other lovely creature – that you would like photographed and processed in this technique, please be in touch. www.michellehuisman.com.