My UBC Dye Kit
From NarratingLandscapes
The Color Purple, Blue, Yellow and Black : My UBC Dye Kit
by User:Kyla
Imagine our world suddenly devoid of modern technology, without malls or cars. We cannot buy our groceries or clothes. There are no synthetic materials, no plastics, no nylons, or chemical dyes. What would this world look like? And more importantly how would most people fare in this world in light of our modern industrial society? Even considering the trend towards “greener” lifestyles, in our current urban context people seem to have lost knowledge of and connection to their landscape. In the blink of an eye development presses on, replacing plant and animal habitats, while people bob their heads to their personal mp3 players on the bus, favoring the escapism of various technologies to human conversation or interaction with their surroundings. This shift towards the artificial has allowed us to de-emphasize the importance of different ways of knowing that require active engagement with our landscape and with our bodies.
This imagined scenario, in addition to my inadequate level of engagement, awareness and knowledge of the landscape of the University of British Columbia (UBC), inspired me to experiment with plant dyes, which involved locating, harvesting, and preparing local plant materials found on the campus. While obtaining colors from plants is not technically an essential part of survival, color is extremely important in our society. Obtaining dyes also requires extensive knowledge of the plant world, as evidenced by the ingenuity of First peoples. Chemical dyes were not invented until the mid nineteenth century and throughout history, people have colored their worlds using plants (Robertson 1973:10).
Starting this project I knew nothing of creating dyes other than that certain berries stain my fingers. I started out with very little knowledge about the plants on campus. My daily journey there simply involved a direct walk on the major roads from the bus loop, to the Anthropology building. Starting from this point, I kept a journal of my process of finding the dye plants and getting to know the landscape of Vancouver, specifically UBC, through physically experiencing it.
The Dyeing Process: Some tips on dyeing with different materials
Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes
References:
Bliss, Anne 1981. A Handbook of Dyes from Natural Materials. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Cannon, John and Margaret 2003. Dye Plants and Dyeing. Portland: Timber Press.
Casselman, Karen Leigh 1980. Craft of the Dyer: Colour from Plants and Lichens of the Northeast. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Krochmal, Arnold and Connie 1977. The Complete Illustrated Book of Dyes from Natural Sources. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc.
McGrath, Judy Waldner 1977. Dyes from Lichens and Plants. Toronto: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.
Robertson, Seonaid 1973. Dyes from Plants. Toronto: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.
Turner, Nancy J. 2006. Plant Technology of First Peoples in British Columbia. Vancouver: UBC Press.
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Supported by the Arts IT Fund at UBC