Lichen Dye

About this work

Lichen collected by hand on hikes in the California hills. The fermentation method: lichen steeped in an ammonia solution, sealed and left to ferment for two months. The vat shifts slowly from brown to violet as the pigment breaks down and rebuilds in an alkaline environment.

When the time comes, fabric goes in undyed and comes out a soft, warm purple, the shade ranging from dusty mauve to a deeper plum depending on how long the piece rests. No mordant needed. The dye bonds directly to protein fibers.

Lichen dye is one of the oldest color sources in the world, used in Celtic tweeds and Scandinavian wools for centuries. Collecting only what the forest can spare, working slowly, waiting. Part of Art 189LJ at UC Santa Barbara, 2023.