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Duration: 4 hours
Harness the power of botanical plants when you join a botanical ink making workshop at the Blueway Art Studio. This hands-on beginners’ workshop is an excellent taster experience if you’d like to learn how to make plant-based sustainable inks.
Create your own natural, botanical ink using materials foraged from the local trees and plants. Forage for colour, learn how to forage sustainably, identify key plants for colour, how to start a dye garden and manage invasious native species such woad.
A lot of artists today import dyes to access a fabulous range of bright colours, but people used to source colour much closer to home. The arrival of commercial inks and dyes in the 20th century made a wide range of tempting colours easily available, but it also meant that the art of natural dye and ink making was in danger of being lost in Ireland.
A growing interest in sustainability and natural materials has brought traditional ink-making skills back into the spotlight, reminding us that we can look to our local landscapes for resources as well as inspiration!
While we might tend to have an image of early Christian writers as men and monks, it is worth remembering that saints like St Brigid wrote some of the first illuminated books in Ireland.
St Brigid wrote and made her mark in her centre of arts at the Church of the Oak monastery in Kildare, a detail often forgotten.
We will also discuss the ink used in ancient cave art which has survived thousands of years and most often belonged to women, overturning the dogma that the earliest artists were all men.
The majority of the ink-making workshop will take place outdoors at Blueway Art Studio, located in the band hall in the gorgeous village of Narraghmore. I will provide a list of plant materials you may wish to bring from your garden, but there is no need to bring anything except your curiosity (and lots of small jars for your exploits!).
It’s a beautiful experience to watch nature transform into something new in this fun and creative workshop.
Just bring jars in different sizes so you may bring some ink home! All materials, and tea and coffee are included. Bring a notebook or a sketchbook if you would like.
If you have any plant material such as leaves, oak, alder, birch bark, acorn or hazel nuts feel free to bring them along.
You may either bring your own lunch or opt for the local community café – known as the Old Hardware. It’s a great place to find hand-made scones or cakes, and Mel’s Gastro Pub across the road from the Blueway Studio, serves food from 2pm at the weekends and from 5pm during the week. There are lots of options for things to do, places to stay, eat and drink in nearby Athy too.
It’s a good idea to wear comfortable waterproof shoes and bring a rainproof jacket and clothes and shoes that you won’t mind getting marked with ink splashes.
Blueway Art Studio is on the ground floor so there are no stairs to climb. However, it’s an old building with a smaller than usual door so not all wheelchairs fit through.
You might not believe it, but everyone is creative! Some of the people who join us at the workshops may be practising creatives and others will be absolute beginners. All are welcome! You just need to bring an open mind and you will create something you will cherish.
