T6DH Workshops
Learn how to create color from the natural world. Working with
mycelium as a medium and botanical palettes we will create our own work of art.
All materials are provided.
I have been an artist for 30 years, but it has only been the past seven years that I have taken the deep dive into sustainability, botanical palettes, and organic recipes. I have been researching mycology and participating in residencies to learndirectly from scientists, biologist, mycologists, anthropologists, color practitioners, marine biologists, and a variety of artists and creators who are making changes in the world through their art. In my workshops, you will learn why trees are important to artists in the creation of botanical painting. We will discuss mordants, tannins and mordant modifiers. We will also discuss Paleolithic; earth palettes, investigate fossils and create our own color from fall leaves, fruits, flowers, and a variety of other organic materials. Every workshop includes all the materials you will need. One time a year I host a special workshop and partner with sustainable brands. In these workshops students receive gift bags to inspire the greening of our homes, our bodies and our lives.
2024
November 2 10am - 2pm, register for this workshop is closed.
Ivy Tech Community College, "The Future of Color" a workshop hosted by Artists for Climate Awareness:
This is a 4 hour workshop. The Future of Color workshop begins with an immersive, CGI exploration of the Lascaux Caves in France. In this workshop, I share my process and practices which are informed by the Middle Ages and the practices of scribes, who worked on illuminated manuscripts. The exploration of the Lascaux cave paintings will lead us into the discussion on the use of materials and history of earth pigments. We will take a deeper look at tannins and mordants, specifically natural mordants and tannin-rich mordants. A mordant is a metallic salt. Some natural dyes, including black walnuts, onion skins, tea or turmeric, are called substantive. This means they don’t require a mordant to bind with fibers. This is the safer, healthier way of processing your color palettes. My research with the Lilly Library at Indiana University manifests my work inspired by the natural world and acts as a catalyst to inspire a greener, more sustainable world. In my workshop, we will examine wall paintings from 19,000 years ago, participate in a discussion on how the two time periods differ, and explore those similar palettes by processing botanical palettes using earth pigments, fruits, and flowers and develop our own botanical records of the natural world.
The Future of Color workshop is sponsored by:
Adult Workshop I. Saturday, August 24, 11am-12:30pm
Hamilton Public Library East, "Adult Botanical Workshop": This is a 2 hour workshop. We will be processing avocado into a dye together at the Ignite Studio on site. Connect here to register for this workshop.
Youth Workshop II. Saturday, August 31 11am -12:30pm
Hamilton Public Library East, "Youth Botanical Workshop 13+": This is a 2 hour workshop. We will first discuss and review images from cave paintings which are a type of parietal art. Using our own earth pigments we will develop our first eco-art painting. The botanical and fruit painting palette consist of: avocado, blueberry and onion.
2023
Birds In Our Backyard, Youth Workshop: July 8, 2023. The FAR Center for Contemporary Art, Bloomington, IN
Bio Art: Foraged Materials and Botanical Palettes: Bird in Space inspired by Romanian sculptor Brâncuși. Join us
for a day of creating Birds in Space using foraged materials and painted botanical feathers.
Botanical Palettes, Mycelium as Medium + the Importance of Trees, April 22, 2023.
The FAR Center for Contemporary Art, Bloomington, IN, Bio Art: Earth Day, Adult Workshop:
This workshop was sponsored by:
Botanical Palettes, Mycelium as Medium + the Importance of Trees, January, 29, 2023.
Studio Alchemy Gallery, Indianapolis, Bio Art:Adult Workshop
Images from past workshops
