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May 4, 2024 | Sunday, Oct 15, 2023
Mount Airy Learning Tree

In this 2.5 hour workshop we made drawing ink using flowers and plants from the Ampersand Textile Studio Apothecary and fresh dye plants from Henry Got Crops / Weavers Way Farm Market @ Saul High School. We made a beautiful mess and experimented with shifting the color using modifiers in a collection of handcrafted plant-based inks.

Color From Nature: Botanical Ink Workshop

past workshops

June 28, 2023 |Craft N’ Sip at The Lawn at uCity Square

We designed and created mini tapestries using Ampersand Textile hand-dyed botanical yarns on the HELLO Loom. Little looms, wine, and light fare provided by the Lawn @ UCity Square

Tiny Tapestries

Sunday, June 11 | Historic Rittenhouse Town

Invādō: Papermaking & Nature Walk

In this playshop we took a walk in the woods to identify plants and then made paper and explored what we could create with natural materials together. We made music while creating pulp from Japanese knotweed fiber, recycled paper from extra save-the dates, paper beads, and more. Participants brought curiosity for natural materials and an experimental crafty spirit, and left with handmade paper and awesome art experiments.

This project is supported in part with funding from the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation and the Marrazzo Family Foundation.

May 6
Pennypack Environmental Center
8600A Verree Road Philadelphia, PA 19115

Invādō: Printmaking with Invasive Plants

After a walk in the park and a chat about the “invasive” plants and common garden weeds in the area, we created nature prints using organic waste from gardens and park maintenance.

We had a fantastic time exploring different printmaking techniques using hammers, spoons, rubbing crayons made from peach pit charcoal and beeswax, and more to capture the shapes, textures, and/or colors of plants on paper and fabric!

Friday, April 28
Philadelphia Museum of Art

After a tour of Oneness: Nature and Connectivity in Chinese Art we explored ink-making in this workshop inspired by the exhibition. Everyone made their own ink and sampled it on handmade mini scrolls.

Color from Nature: Botanical Ink

Earth Day - Sat. April 22
Sheep Shearing Day | Fox Chase Farm

Weaving with Color from Nature

A beautiful spring day to celebrate the earth, shear the sheep, and enjoy the farm. We enjoyed collaborative weaving with natural dyed yarn on the rigid heddle loom and small board looms!

Photo: Wendi Wu @stillair_photo

Saturday, April 15
Pennypack Environmental Center
Philadelphia, PA

Spring Sun Prints

In this workshop, we took a stroll in the park, identified spring plants, and then made botanical cyanotype and anthotype prints using the power of the sun!

Friday, April 14
Pennypack Environmental Center
Philadelphia, PA

Nature Walk & Botanical Ink

After a walk exploring the early spring plants and we bottled the beautiful experiences of the day and made art with our own plant-based ink. Participants mixed their dye-based inks with binders, preservatives, and modifiers to adjust consistency and shift the color of their ink.