Drops From the Ink Pot
June and July News
It’s Litha, May - June in Saxon parlance. St Wite’s Day, Dorset Day (1st June), has been and gone and the Cerne Abbas Giant is in the news, all of which makes me happy. Brief notes this month, as I am deep in preparation for teaching online next week and then in person in late June and Early July. Boxes of beautiful pigments are behind me, gifts fresh from American friends whose work you may know. I have been at the ink and dye pot all week, below I’ll spill the beans. This newsletter is for June and July. I’ll be back in August with news of a film and some collaborative courses with a geologist, a writer and a mythologist (not all at once…) Warmest greetings to all who read this, Caro.
Last minute Devon course places
Found and Ground course in Devon this month has sold out and has a waiting list. Drawn From the Wild 9th June - 3rd July 2026 has only two spaces left. You can still come! everything you need to know is at this button, as well as in last month’s post.
Next week, I am offering this unique demonstration on applying ochre glue paint and tannin inks for fabric and leather surfaces.
You can join this session individually or join the whole Printing & Painting Programme
Session Seven of the Printing & Painting on Textiles With Natural Colour Online Programme
We will cover how to prepare surfaces, make and use a variety of home-made long-lasting or permanent natural inks, and ochre and mineral-based glue paints for use on all kinds of leather goods. Also covering how to make them last longer using waxes, gentle washing techniques and correct handling. This session is a perfect addition to those who love to thrift and up-cycle well-made vintage garments and bags as well as tanners looking for new ways to express themselves with their craft.
Important issues which can cause damage to leather, such as pH, salinity, UV and heat exposure will be covered and ways to avoid them will be shown. The inks used in this session will be vegan but the paints will be animal glue based.
Featured projects will include camouflage gloves, a variety of chamois, suede and buckskin bags, forest floor shoes and clothes, parchment and rawhide, vintage leather cases and more.
Including a pdf featuring simple recipes, links, books and artists. You are encouraged to bring any leather items you would like to decorate to the class so you can ask questions about appropriate materials and methods.
USA trip
I was in VT USA last month to visit friends, meet colleagues, collect equipment and be part of a pigment meet up. It was a joy to finally meet Natalie Stopka and Carolyn Sweeney in the flesh, as we have been working together for years. In Situ Polyculture graciously hosted us, and alongside Hannah Regier, Nicole Dupree, Suzi Banks Baum, Carrie LaChance and Rosi Olivan, we explored indigo, weld, tannins, ochres, madder, dyers’ polypore, mordants, dipping wool in inks as an addition to swatching, biofluorescence of plant and fungi dyes, lobster mushroom dye, egg paints, cork charcoal, lake pigments, gall tanning roadkill garter snakes, paper dyeing, stash swapping, laughter, endlessly fascinating conversations, food, artisanl cheesemaking (courtesy of our dear friends at Parish Hill Creamery), community and practice. I’ll make an Instagram post this week about it to share more photos and so that you can see all the folks’ wonderful work. We held a ‘Pigment Picnic’ at Putney Library and so many people came and tried out our natural art materials. It was particularly lovely to see young people in abundance and kids having a go at mulling paint, and asking great questions. So many thanks to all who came, and to Candace Jensen for her organising prowess.
Sundry notes:
Portrait photographer sought. I have never had a proper ‘work portrait’ taken and really feel the need for one. My phone photos are ok, but I hate having my picture taken deliberately, and snaps are never high enough res for the websites of the people I work with. I would hugely appreciate any recommendations for photographers in either Devon (as I will be there this month) or in Northumberland or NE England.
Get ready for nettles for fibre very soon. The stinging nettles are high and flowering which means fibre is not far off. I’ll be gathering lots before heading to Devon, so this is a friendly heads-up to get your gloves and secateurs ready if you too are a twizzle-head. I’ll edit all my cordage making vids together before high summer so that you too can get addicted to this most wholesome of passtimes.
Where I read the headline ..'walks into a bar..' While I was reading, I was looking for the punchline!! You set me up 😂😂😂 brilliant.