This is my first post of the new year.   I am hopeful that the year of the ram will bring the needed yin energy to get projects started and new connections focused in the right direction.

I wanted to share with you one of the new projects I am starting on.

Last year I started to find myself drawn to lichen and I went through a 8 month period of research and trial about the scientific properties of lichen and mosses and the ways in which they can be used as dyes.  After that I began to see lichen everywhere and my interest grew.  So naturally, I started to collect some of the lichen I was finding.

I realize that lichen takes a long time to grow and when collecting, one should only take 10% of each bloom.

One week after a heavy wind storm, the streets were littered with sticks and I noticed a lot of lichen.  The lichen I am interested in mainly is of the xanthoria species.  The main characteristic is its bright yellow color.  So now I am the stick lady.  I find lots of sticks on the ground covered or partially dotted with this beautiful lichen and so my collection is growing.

I cannot say exactly what I am going to create with all this new dye color and technique, but my mind is swimming with ideas and connections.  The trees are speaking to me and the environment is producing this lichen as a way to filter the air.  It is my pleasure to understand this dynamic and transform it into poetry.

 

 

• art
• collections
• nature
• textiles

art collections creating inspiration Lichen Mt Tabor natural dye nature Portland rust sticks studio