Natural Dyes with Lichen, “Old Man’s Beard”
Registration
$240.00
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Maggie Sigrid Wilde
Saturday & Sunday, January 25 – January 26, 2025
10:00am – 4:00pm
Discover the art of natural dyeing in this hands-on workshop that explores the unique properties of Old Man’s Beard lichen (Usnea species). Participants will learn the history and sustainable practices of natural dyeing, starting with the understanding the harvest and preparation of lichen, an abundant and renewable resource found in local forests and woodlands.
This workshop offers participants an opportunity to learn traditional dyeing techniques and unlock the earthy, muted tones that lichens can bring to wool fibers. We will learn how to prepare protein fibres for dyeing through scouring and mordanting followed by dyeing and modifiers. We will discuss sustainable harvesting practices when working with foraged dye stuff and implications of different choices as a natural dyer.
By the end of the course, participants will have a solid understanding of natural dyeing principles, including color theory, and how to sustainably source and use local plant and lichen materials, as well as two skeins of hand dyed local wool for future craft projects. Whether you are an experienced fibre artist or a beginner, this course will inspire you to incorporate nature’s rich colors into your own creative projects.
Students should bring:
· Apron or clothing that can get messy
Bookings
Maggie Sigrid Wilde
Maggie Sigrid Wilde is an interdisciplinary settler artist, educator, and boatbuilder. Maggie recieved a Bachelor of Fine Arts with dual major in First Peoples Studies and Art Education from Concordia University. Their art practice revolves around intergenerational fibre arts practices and relational art. Maggie has generational ties to the Southshore of Nova Scotia and subsequent crafts from the area. Maggie believes art is a vessel for community building, education, connection, experimentation, and healing by prioritizing togetherness.