Colors from plants, flowers, leaves, herbs, bark and roots

Last year I attended a workshop 'Colors from Nature' at Ecology Center in Berkeley taught by Deepa Preeti Natarajan. It was a short workshop in which Deepa taught us the basics of making dyes. I was so thrilled to learn something new but not completely unknown. 

Image courtsey: permacouturepress

I have been buying garments made by Fabindia. They use plant dyes and support the artisans with whom they directly work. There are I always dreamt of going to India one day to see and learn how it's all made. Anokhi and Soma are two other fair trade organizations/shops that support traditional art and practices of making beautiful clothes.

An artisan engaged in block printing. Fairtradsource.org

So when I found out about Deepa's workshop I signed up for it. I came home and tucked my notes away but kept thinking about the whole process. Then one day I was in Ashland, Oregon, and I came across Rebecca Burgess's book 'Harvesting Color' in The Websters. I flipped through the book and was fascinated. I went home and ordered the book along with Sasha Duerr's 'The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes'. My experiments began with mint leaves and still continue. It is a very good addiction. 

Turmeric dyed tank 

Sketchbook drawings

I usually don't give titles to my drawings, but the drawings below are titled. The titles came from my personal history and relate a story / an event that I experienced. When I start to draw, I begin without any preconceived ideas. Once the process has begun there's no stopping. In daily life I have other chores that require my attention - then I have to stop drawing, if I'm in the middle of it. It is unbearable to have to stop making marks. Drawing is one of the things that I am very passionate about.

Woman of Willendorf (my neighbor), drawn with wine

Terror, mixed media, collage

Boats (massacre), Charcoal drawing

Lakshmana Rekha, charcoal and gouache 

Stains, monoprint

Almond tea cakes