Natural Inks & Dyes

In the spring of 2022, I went to Southern Maryland for an artist residency at the Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Art Center. While there I had the opportunity to roam through the woods, the shore of Chesapeake Bay, and other wild locates including historical cemeteries and churchyards. While in one overgrown 17th century churchyard (Middleham Cemetery) I came upon some black walnut trees surrounded by fallen husks. I gathered some with the intention of experimenting with making some pigments from them. From this experiment came a number of natural inks and dyes that I've been using to produce artworks. There are more to come as I see where this fascinating collaboration with material from the natural world takes me.