logwood and flowers

Here is a peek of a small series of botanically dyed and illustrated fabrics I am working on (and an older one but it fits so nicely into this logwood dye series). This journey of painting on fabric has only just begun and I am so so excited about it! My head flows over from ideas, colours, fabrics.

In my daily practise as an illustrator I draw everything with pens and pencils. I love my job, but sometimes I miss the paint on my fingers, messing around with paint brushes. So to be able to work with these raw materials, to feel the fabric go through my hands, dreaming up new ideas with a paint brush, and to see what colours come out of the dye pot, is just magical. I deliberately work organically, see how things evolve under my hands, be adrift and just let the materials carry me. It feels like coming home and opens my creative heart in a new way. 

The pieces of fabric and yarn you see here are all dyed with logwood. The heartwood of the logwood tree offers the dyestuff, ranging from soft to deep rich purples, and even to black. Valued as a dye since the 16th century, it was one of the most prized dyes. Logwood trees have heart shaped leaves and in spring time the tree is in bloom with delicate little flowers.

To celebrate and honour the beautiful colours nature give to us, I made this illustration of logwood. The first in a series of dye plants.

The logwood print will be available in my shop today.

Be well!

x Claire