Water Women is a handmade cyanotype book I created in my garden during lockdown in 2020 in the final term of my degree. Inspired by the growing number of women embracing open-water swimming, I initially shaped the project around this shared sense of liberation.

Disrupted by the pandemic, the project was reimagined with limited resources at home. As many of us reflected on what truly brings us joy, memories of open water surfaced - symbolising freedom during a time of restriction. I gathered water stories from fifty women around the world and developed a cyanotype print from the image tied to their memory.

For the title, I used the cyanotype liquid applied with a pipette and exposed to sunlight, turning blue representing the essence of the book. In a time of isolation, Water Women became a way to connect and reflect.