As someone who has been working responsibly with fiber reactive chemical dyes for decades, I’ve been thinking a lot about natural dyes, sustainability and how this approach can fit into my mark-making sensibilities. The world of natural dyes has “blossomed” in recent years, with many people working together to foster more understanding and grounded practices. It is nothing like the 1970s, when we were schooled to use toxic metals as mordants, like chrome and tin. My favorite resources come from Botanical Colors and Maiwa Natural Dyes, and we would not be anywhere without Catharine Ellis, and The Art and Science of Natural Dyes, with Ellis, Joy Boutrup and referencing Michel Garcia.
I took advantage of the potential learning opportunity during the Pandemic. Establishing my community indigo vat in 2021, I invited two local artists at a time to try samples over a two hour period. It was a wonderful way to safely connect with other people and spend time exploring and has become a community engaged art project. In the first two years, 45 people participated. They included artists, non-artists, retired scientists, and students from a wide demographic background. They were encouraged to try whatever interested them as long as it was on a smaller scale and not large clothing items that hogged the vat for others. We resist dyed fabrics of all kinds, plus yarn, embroidery thread, wool, handmade paper and vintage textiles. We all learned so much from one another. On days we were not gathering as a community. Each dyeing session was documented on my Instagram feed, astridhbennett . Read more and see pictures from this community project on my blog.
An online class, Paint & Print with Natural Dyes from Maiwa School of Textiles, provided a solid backbone of understanding about natural dyes. I was able to use mordant printing and thickened dyes with my silk screens, very exciting. But I also see the issues with natural dyes- they take a lot of materials and processing them involves heating for hours. Nothing is a perfect solution, but it is lovely to add expended natural dyes to my compost heap.
This year, I decided to use foraged plant materials as my dye sources, such as marigolds, dyers’ chamomile, black walnuts, and apple leaves, in addition to indigo. This combines my love of gardening, prairie areas and fostering plant communities. Thanks to my friend Jorie Johnson, a decade-long resident of Japan, I also learned how to paint with Sumi ink on soy milk-soaked fabrics, which I have been overseeing with indigo, a perfect way to incorporate brush work and natural dyes. I don’t see converting entirely to natural dyes any time, but will continue to embrace them for a good portion of my practice.
