The Dyer's Garden
2020 update: I know have my own dye garden! Read some newer blog posts to see what’s growing…
Starting next year, I would like to start growing my own dye plants. Jenny Dean's blog is an excellent resource for help with this, and my mum is a horticulturalist and promises to help! It would require quite a lot of work but it would mean I would know exactly where the plants had come from, proving its provenance.
I am wondering whether I could make the growing and harvesting process part of my creative work. Carissa Carman has done this, forming the Color Collective with two other artists:
The Color Collective, my collaboration with Sarah Gotowka and Johanna Autin, not only grew plants for natural dyeing but also took on investigations of color through performed actions, temporary architecture, and customized tools. (2015, online)
There was no dyed cloth in the exhibition as the plants were not yet ready - the project is ongoing. Discussing this with fellow artist Rowland Ricketts, he poses the question: "What happens when the process is the motivator instead of the product?" This is a really interesting idea, and is demonstrated in Ricketts work, where he displays indigo plants next to indigo dyed cloth.
Both artists work is very exciting and I am keen to do further research. I also can't wait for winter to be over so I can start work on my own dye garden!
References:
Carman, C and Ricketts, R. (2015) Does it Matter? Process and Product in Contemporary Natural Dye Practices [Online] Available from: http://www.artpractical.com/feature/does-it-matter-process-and-product-in-contemporary-natural-dye-practices/ [Accessed 10 December 2017].
Dean, J. (2017) The Dyer's Garden. [Online] http://www.jennydean.co.uk/category/the-dyers-garden/ [Accessed 10 December 2017].
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