Exploring the Magic of Spring Foraging

Spring brings forth a bountiful array of natural materials, patiently waiting to be discovered and transformed into an array of captivating hues.

Foraging in spring offers a beautiful opportunity to harmoniously connect with the environment and embark on a journey of discovery and creativity. It is an art that requires both patience and an understanding of the natural world. With careful observation and respectful collection, a treasure trove of materials can be found to create an astonishing range of natural dyes, inks, and pigments.

During my morning run and bike ride, I came across commonly occurring flowers at this time of the Spring season that I thought I could use for extracting colours. With the anticipation of an approaching wet front from the North Atlantic, I seized the opportunity to gather some of these wildflowers. I collected flower heads of lilacs in two different hues, the entire dandelion plant from the roots, nettle leaves, weeping willow leaves and Columbine flower heads, during my foraging trip. I also collected a bunch of thyme from my garden patch to experiment with.

Gathering these flowers has proven to be an excellent use of my time during this continuous downpour for more than a week now. As there is little to be done in the garden while waiting for the weather to clear, I have been able to extract and experiment with the pigments obtained from these blooms.

Some of the Foraged Natural Resources

Lilac

Dandelion flowers, leaves and roots

Dandelion petals

Burgundy Columbine from the wild

The outcomes I achieved are truly remarkable. I find myself captivated by the enchanting assortment of ethereal lake pigments from the Spring 2023 collection.

Lake pigment from Lilac

Lake pigments extracted from Dandelion, Willow and Nettle leaves

Lake pigment obtained from Columbine flowers

Watercolour paint made from Willow leaves

A beautiful yellow-green dye from Thyme that can be used as an ink or for natural dyeing.

As we patiently await the growth of our natural dye plants, I hope that my exploration of colours will encourage you to gather readily available flowers, such as dandelions, lilacs, nettles, and thyme, or other non-toxic spring flowers that grow in your geographic location. These blooms can be used to create beautiful dyes, inks, and pigments as a creative and natural alternative.

It's worth noting that, with the exception of Columbine, all these plant sources are safe for both humans and pets.

During my explorations, I also delved into extracting colours from the foraged sources from India, which resulted in a delightful surprise of stunningly beautiful hues. This activity proved to be the perfect way to spend rainy days, and I was thrilled with the astonishing outcomes of my creative process.

The bottom row of yellow and orange colours was extracted from night jasmine and the Fame of Forest flowers.

A sketch with inks made from Avocado, Thyme and Night Jasmine and Japanese Indigo watercolour paint.

In conclusion, the art of colour extraction from foraged sources opens up a realm of creative possibilities and serves as a testament to the beauty and versatility of nature. Whether it's collecting flowers, leaves, or herbs, we can harness the vibrant pigments they offer to create stunning dyes, inks, and pigments. This process not only allows us to express our artistic spirit but also deepens our connection with the natural world. So let us continue to explore, experiment, and embrace the wonders of colour extraction as we celebrate the boundless beauty that surrounds us.