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Colors from Nature – Organic art with plant colors, inks & earth pigments, plus natural dyes

Where does the myriad of colors that create our daily palette come from? The source of colors are nature. Plants, fruits, wood, soil have been used since ancient times as natural dyes and pigments. Many dye plants can be found in our everyday environment, such as Yarrow, Dandelion and the common weed Goldenrod, have the hidden potential to create color.

Learn to create and use paints and inks made from plants, fruits and soil with Kristin Hensel, who has been researching and teaching the history of natural dyes and pigments for many years in Berlin. Using a technique similar to watercolors, we will paint with these beautiful natural colors following recipes that Kristin has rediscovered following historical recipes and experimentation. Making our own tools for ancient calligraphy, ground yourself with earth colors and get in touch with basic techniques of natural textile dyes on Saturday.

Kristin aims “to sensitize people to colors in order to appreciate their origin from nature and thus protect our environment.”

Kristin Hensel received her Diplom in design at the College of Art & Design Burg Giebichenstein Halle/ Saale. She is a lecturer in Fashion & Textile Design and a certified City Nature Guide in Berlin. She is a co-initiator of the Färberpflanzenbeetes (Dyeing Plants Garden)  in the community garden Allmende-Kontor on Tempelhofer Feld in Berlin.

Cost: 160€*

*includes 19% MwSt

Supplies: Please bring watercolor paper and brushes. Other supplies will be provided.