Jo Thomson - Florigin

I’m Jo Thomson, an experimental photographer and photoartist based in Mono, ON. I create unique art prints, made using foraged botanicals and slow, traditional photographic processes. Due to the nature of these processes, each print I create is unique and an original. My brand name, Florigin, is a play on “Flora’ and ‘Origin’ I work with two processes, the Photogram, created in a traditional darkroom, and the Cyanotype, created by exposure to the sun. My work has a direct relationship with the subject matter, as both processes use the ‘contact’ method, whereby objects are placed directly onto the photographic materials before exposure. This also means that the objects are recorded at their true scale. I truly love experimenting and evolving my work with both processes and am often surprised by the results. Since completing my Bachelor of Arts Degree at the London College of Arts (UK), I have been active in the commercial creative industries. Working as both a freelance commercial & social photographer, and as a director of our Design & Branding Studio, Believe in. Florigin was born from a strong desire to return to my roots of traditional printing and to be creative without the constraints of a client brief. I have found a deep satisfaction learning that my work brings joy to others and I'm delighted when they choose to display a piece in their environment. My art ultimately aims to elevate ordinary objects into things of beauty. A recent client summed this up perfectly when she said ‘looking at your work makes me feel calm, focussed on nature and on only the important things in life’. I’m discovering so much joy in creating and in using slow, analogue processes. I’ve also learned that if you have a passion in life, don’t be afraid to make the leap and do something that you love!