materials focus
incorporating locally sourced pigments into my creative process
is about building relationship and connection
relationship.
The paint that most art is made from today is synthetically created or a biproduct of some industrial process that uses fossil fuels and often creates toxic waste. This is representative of a society that is disconnected from the natural world and engages in an oppressive dominating relationship with the earth, extracting and commodifying resources on a whim without reciprocity, respect or awareness of the downstream consequences. Through making my own pigments from locally sourced earth, I am exploring what it means to challenge this relationship. I consciously source these pigments in an intentional way that honors the land, asking for permission and collecting only as much I need and being careful to not disturb the local ecosystem. Making art with these pigments is an act of reverence for the land that holds us and sustains all life.
connection.
The source of so much human suffering and arguably the destruction of our planet as a whole stems from a collective disconnection; disconnection of humanity to the natural world, people from each other and even people from themselves. Pigment processing is a potentially powerful point of connection for artists using various mediums from fibers, to clay to paint. Not too long ago, humans, particularly women, would gather regularly, processing and preparing food, crafts and tools together in an inclusive space. While they would work, they would simultaneously be in conversation with each other, processing not only the physical materials with their hands, but their thoughts and emotions with each other. Collaborating with other artists on processing pigments is a way to create this space of connection in our modern world.
how it started.
A combination of headaches after painting with oil and employment at an art supply store spiked my curiosity in the materials I use in my creative work. Around the same time I met Kat. After a conversation about earth pigments and how living in New Mexico, surrounded by colorful earth was inspiring us to collect dirt and make paint, we set off on an adventure to the Ojito Wilderness. There we found some beautiful clays, landscapes, expansive skies, and we also found ourselves very stuck in some waste deep mud… A sticky situation that called for the help of Stan the Man with a tow truck, her partner Paul and our friend Nick, not only gave us some pigments with a good story, but marked the start of a big project and beautiful friendship. We would meet weekly in Kat’s studio to simultaneously process the pigments and what was going on in our lives. Kat’s calling as a soon to be mother and time commitment of her own creative business have demanded her focus elsewhere, but as I continue to work with earth pigments and integrate them into my painting practice, I am so very grateful for her contribution to my life and this project.
the process.
grinding
sifting
mulling
incorporating earth pigments in my work.
I have been exploring different mediums and ways to bring out the character of the earth pigments, sometimes using them alone, sometimes weaving them together with synthetic pigments.
earth pigment oil paint swatches testing the tinting strength with titanium white
egg tempera incorporating earth pigments with classic synthetics including ultramarine blue
handmade watercolors from earth pigments on paper
handmade watercolors from earth pigments
