Process and Practice
It sometimes starts with a tent and a wild place.
And is often a wander up my favorite mountain trail with a basket in hand and my eyes fixed on the forest floor instead of the destination. I'm always on the lookout for interesting leaves, wildflowers, seed heads, ferns, and the little botanical treasures that most people walk right past.
Some days it's a quiet stroll through the woods. Other days it's a full-fledged foraging adventure, with muddy boots, a backpack full of freshly gathered plants, and a head buzzing with ideas for the next print.
Every season brings a new palette, every trail offers a new surprise, and every walk reminds me that nature is the best artist I know.
Plants I often use for eco printing and natural dyes:
Golden Rod
Cosmos
Walnut
Strawberry
Thimbleberry
Ash
Aspen
Coreopsis
Yarrow
Marigold
Huckleberry
St. Johns Wort
Tansy
Indigo
Osage Orange
Madder Root
Onion
Avocado
Smokebush
Dill
Wild Rose
Fireweed
Much of my creating happens in my outdoor studio beneath the big maple tree, where I test natural dyes, layout leaves and flowers, and carefully arrange eco prints for bundling. It's only fitting that the maple occasionally volunteers a few of its own leaves for a project from time to time.
One of my favorite things about eco printing is that nature always has the final say. Every leaf, flower, and bundle creates its own unique pattern, so no two pieces are ever exactly alike. Unrolling a freshly steamed cotton bandana or unfolding a shibori-style silk scarf never gets old. Even after all these years, it still feels a little like opening a present, and always like magic.
