©Marcy Palmer, A Chain of Learning

Gender equality is a human right.

I was recently reading a blog post about the myriad of ways that women’s lives, health, and economic rights have been impacted by our current administration. It’s the Handmade’s Tale come to life and today women are struggling to slow the loss of rights protections.  The challenge of dismantling centuries of patriarchy is not easy but using photographic art to create a conversation is a first step.

This week we consider projects created by women who are focusing on issues critical to consider at this moment in time. For the past two years, I have been watching the evolution of Marcy Palmer‘s important project,  Seeds of Strength and Resilience, that show us what came before Roe vs Wade, when abortions were illegal in the United States. Her extensive research has resulted in a collection of gilded botanicals, beautiful at first glance, but even more powerful when understanding that these were collected for use in illegal abortions in the state where Roe vs Wade had its beginnings. Palmer is our editor this week and we begin with her stellar project that so elegantly speaks to reproductive rights.

Marcy Palmer is an American artist whose work explores themes of beauty, history, and social justice through the lens of nature and science. Influenced by the earliest practitioners of photography, as well as the Surrealist and Bauhaus movements, Palmer delicately balances contemporary and historical approaches to image-making and materials to communicate her ideas.

Marcy earned her M.F.A. in Photography & Related Media from the School of Visual Arts and a B.S. in Studio Art from Skidmore College.  Her work has been exhibited at The Brooklyn Museum of Art, The Center for Photographic Art, The Griffin Museum of Photography, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and other spaces. Her work has been written about in The Boston Globe Sunday edition, D Magazine, and other publications. Her sold-out book, “You Are Eternity, You Are the Mirror” was published by Yoffy Press and recognized by Photo-eye, Deep Red Press, and The Luupe as a favorite photobook.

Upcoming exhibitions: “Beyond Resilience” at the Museum of Art Fort Collins, curated by Hamidah Glasgow, June 27 – Sept. 14, 2025

IG: @marcy_palmer

©Marcy Palmer, Beware Beware Keep Your Garden Fair

Seeds of Strength and Resilience

Reproductive rights have become a restricted and contested issue, and I have wondered how this happened.  What did people do before modern medicine?  How has this affected the independence and autonomy of women?  What will the future hold?

In learning more about this, I came across the long history and practice of herbal abortifacients, which have been used since ancient times.  To be clear, I am not a doctor, and I do not recommend or condone the practice of herbal abortion, as it is often not safe or reliable.  For this project, I researched, collected, and photographed many of the botanicals beginning with plants located where the seminal case of Roe v Wade began, layering this subject with its history. 

©Marcy Palmer, Cloud of Relief

The materials and process for this work were chosen carefully. In chapter 1, the images are printed on Kozo paper, which is known for its delicacy and strength, and that acts as a metaphor for women and this issue.  I have applied 24k gold leaf to parts of the prints, which is symbolic of hope, especially for those affected by abortion restrictions.  The gold is also a nod to the practice of kintsugi, where gold is used to mend broken ceramics, and is known symbolically for its strength and resilience.  In chapter 2, many of the images were created with the phytogram process, a process where the plant chemistry helps create and develop the image, some of the same chemistry that was historically used as part of an abortifacient.  The prints were made as inkjet or toned cyanotypes on a delicate washi paper, that are backed with 24k or 18k gold leaf and varnished.  The gold again acts as a symbol of hope. 

©Marcy Palmer, Egg

I am concerned for women with few options, for those treated unfairly, and for the future of reproductive rights.   It has been important to me to portray this issue in a haunting, yet beautiful way.  I’m inviting the viewer to inspect the images and consider the issue in its current and historical contexts.  The haunting or darker aspects of these images honor the women who have died and will die unnecessarily or become seriously ill due to various pregnancy complications or who are forced to carry a pregnancy against their will under current legal restrictions.  Under the same laws, other women have been unjustly imprisoned for experiencing miscarriage that has been mistaken for abortion.  The positive and beautiful elements of this project are conceptually tied to my hope for a future that offers universal availability and accessibility of safe, modern medical abortion practices that promote the health and well-being of women and children and ultimately, society.

©Marcy Palmer, Hypericum Perforatum

Thank you so much for spearheading this effort this week. Can you share a bit of your growing up and what brought you to photography?

Thank you for this opportunity. Yes, I grew up in upstate NY surrounded by woods and in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. I spent quite a bit of time playing outside, which probably inspired my interest in nature. As a child, I had a Fischer Price film camera, and later I commandeered our family’s Polaroid camera. I loved to see what would happen in a print – it was always surprising in some way.

©Marcy Palmer, Implant Release

Your project has such a unique perspective and beautifully echoes the female- centric practice of collecting and identifying botanicals, similar to Anna Atkins and others. When did you shift from the more classic way of considering botanicals to a focused one?

In my previous work, “You Are Eternity”, one of the concepts I explored was using botanicals as metaphors for people and political change. Another concept was finding transcendence or beauty in the world around us as a respite for crisis or for healing. In this project, I’m digging deeper into those ideas by exploring how botanicals have been used for medicinal purposes or healing. I’ve learned that there is a long history of women taking control of their destiny and bodies with the use of botanicals.

©Marcy Palmer, Menthal

As a mother, wife, educator, and artist, what does the future look like?

It’s so difficult to say. I think that many negative things are happening now regarding legislation and funding that we don’t fully understand the consequences of. I think it’s important to make the phone calls, peacefully protest, and/or make your voice heard if you don’t agree with what’s happening. I have hope for the future, but I don’t think it’s going to be easy.

©Marcy Palmer, Nicholaus Antidotarium

Can you walk us through your research and the artistic decisions about creating the work?

I’ve been working with this concept since before Roe v Wade fell. For research, I’ve read various botanical reference materials, the history of botanicals for contraception and abortion, the history of abortion, and other resources. The project has taken many iterations before becoming this format. My process may be to bang my head against the wall until something works (just kidding, although it can feel that way). Some of the images were made a few years ago and were recently modified, but most of them are new. It seems to take me a while to “settle in” to a project and really connect with all these elements – the concept, how the work looks, what materials were used, and why they were used. To me, all those things are important in making compelling work.

©March Palmer, Not To Be Confused With Poison Hemlock

How do you hope your work contributes to conversations about reproductive rights?

I’m interested in drawing the viewer into the work, so I’ve made it beautiful, however I also want the viewer to question what it’s about. Once they learn that the plants have historically been used in recipes to induce abortion, I hope those conversations can take place. As abortion restrictions become increasingly prevalent, I worry that women will resort to these methods, which I do not condone. They’re not safe or necessarily effective. Reproductive rights not only empower women, but can save lives and create a stronger, more caring society.

©Marcy Palmer, Of Athanasia

What was the most challenging moment you encountered while making this project?

I think that I’ve been very careful about how and when to release the project and how to talk about it. This can be a very controversial issue, and I’m not naturally confrontational. It is a very important issue and needs to be discussed and addressed more now than it has in recent years, as we seem to be on the edge of significant change.

©Marcy Palmer, Ovaries

Has creating this work changed your own views or deepened your understanding in any unexpected ways?

I think that I’ve witnessed an unexpected cultural shift that I might not noticed so keenly to if I hadn’t been working on this project. I’ve heard more stories of how reproductive rights have saved a person’s health, their life, control over their life, has saved their families or marriage, and are generally good for society. I can’t remember hearing so many stories about this issue before Roe v Wade fell and it seems like our society is more open to discussing reproductive rights these days.

Thank you, Aline.

©Marcy Palmer, Pennyroyal Lethal

©Marcy Palmer, Strength O fArtemis

©Marcy Palmer, Those Golden Buttons

©Marcy Palmer, Toxic Hope