To begin the third annual Darwin Day week events, the Bradbury Art Museum (BAM) hosted an anthotype workshop Saturday.

Anthotype is a Greek phrase that loosely translates to “flower print,” describing the workshop’s process. 

Andrew Sweet, assistant professor of biology, said the department has a different theme for Darwin Day each year, which is typically celebrated on Feb. 12, Charles Darwin’s birthday.

“The first year, we focused on evolution and disease. Last year, we talked about paleontology. And then this year, we’re focusing on biodiversity,” Sweet said. “We’re looking at the loads of variation in nature that we see around us and in our backyards.”

During the brainstorming process for the week’s events, Sweet said his group tried to think of events that would tie into the year’s theme and also something people would enjoy. 

“When thinking about biodiversity, one of the things that a lot of people like to do is try to capture the variation and nature that we see around us. Whether that’s through different media, different art forms, different mediums,” Sweet said. “So one of the things that we talked about was it’d be great to have some kind of art-related activities.”

Sweet said the directors at BAM have done similar workshops and the idea of anthotypes fit well within their theme of biodiversity.

Paden DeVita, workshop organizer and BAM educator, said the process uses any material that can photosynthesize and be reduced down to a fluid or liquid and creates a photo emulsion. 

“So you use the same photosynthetic properties of that plant. You reduce it down to a liquid, either by blending or mortar and pestle.” DeVita said. 

DeVita said the reason this type of workshop was chosen for the Darwin Day activities is because the anthotype has been around for as long as Darwin’s theories.

“We immediately kind of jumped towards a more natural approach to some type of photographic process. It’s kind of around the same time period but it also deals with some interesting natural processes that are kind of engaged with the whole evolution thing,” DeVita said. 

However, photography also had a hand to play in the workshop selection.

“Anthotypes came about the same time as the invention of photography itself, around 1839, 1842, so it kind of grew with the medium in itself but kind of stood as it was,” DeVita said. “It’s a nice way to look back and see where photography started and where it kind of is now.”

Devita said the workshop is easy and accessible to anyone, regardless of artistic abilities.

“All you gotta do is know how to smash plants and smear things on paper. So the accessibility is there for everyone to enjoy and it’s a great way to get other people engaged that maybe don’t think they could,” DeVita said.

People of various ages and backgrounds attended the event. 

Megan Smith, a junior graphic design major from Cabot, Arkansas, said she attended the event because her photography teacher mentioned it.

“Since I was curious more about photography and thinking about taking up a minor in it, I decided to come,” Smith said. 

Smith said the main thing she learned during the workshop was how to create her own pigments and use them to create an image using UV rays. 

“My favorite part definitely was the process,” Smith said. “Where you were making your own pigment and being able to use it.”

Ada-Kay Banks, a first-year graphic design student from Hope, Arkansas, said she attended because Smith invited her to the workshop and it sounded interesting. 

Banks said the most interesting thing they learned throughout the workshop was that you can make art out of cheap things you find in the kitchen.

“I just liked being able to make art from basically really cheap materials that you can just find in your kitchen,” Banks said. “You can make art with anything and that was cool to learn.”

The remainder of Darwin Day activities include an exhibit in the A-State museum in the library from Feb. 10 – 22. 

Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m., a panel discussion will take place in room 157 in the museum. A presentation in the museum will take place Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. and feature John Bates, curator of birds at the Field Museum in Chicago. 

To round out the Darwin Day events, Bates will present an academic talk in the Arkansas Biosciences Institute about his biodiversity research Friday from 12 to 1 p.m.

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