Cara Piazza, Author at Botanical Colors

Sunday Visit: Madeleine MacGillivray, Climate Activism & Knowing Your Super Power

For this week’s Sunday Visit interview series, we are delighted to feature Madeleine MacGillivray, a lifelong climate justice advocate, science communicator, and sustainability expert. From founding her first climate project at the age of nine to serving as the Climate Communications and Policy Coordinator at Seeding Sovereignty, Madeleine has dedicated her life to addressing the urgent intersections of plastics, climate, and environmental justice. With an MSc in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and extensive experience in microplastics research and advocacy, she brings a unique blend of scientific expertise and grassroots activism. Join us as we explore her inspiring journey, her … Read more

Sunday Visit: Kalen Kaminski of Upstate

For this week’s Sunday Visit interview series, we are excited to feature Kalen Kaminski, the creative force behind Upstate, a vibrant New York-based studio renowned for its handcrafted textiles, apparel, and glassware. With a background in set design and prop styling, Kalen has cultivated a unique aesthetic that blends whimsy with sustainability. Inspired by nature and global travels, she crafts one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect her passion for color and experimentation. From her early days as a prop stylist to founding Upstate, Kalen’s journey is a testament to innovation and collaboration, as she continues to push boundaries in design while advocating … Read more

multicolored dyed eggs in a green ceramic bowl

Dye Easter Eggs With Natural Dyes

Everyone from kids to adults love to get their hands messy when they dye Easter eggs with natural dyes. This is a fun tutorial for adults and kiddos (parents help, please) to make a little Easter magic. First things first, let’s talk about health & safety: We always recommend working in a very well ventilated area. Although natural dyes are non-toxic, when using fine powders it’s best to wear a mask, and keep the windows open. Be mindful around little ones and pets as you don’t want anything going in mouths that shouldn’t be there. Also, when beginning to set … Read more

Sunday Visit: Prairie Underground

Sunday Visit is our Interview series where we sit down to interview exciting members of our community about their process, inspirations and learn about what makes them tick. Today we interview one of our collaborators and dye house clients Prairie Underground. We learn about the women behind the sustainable brand, how they got started and how they navigate the world of fashion and natural dyes. The photos from this series are a special behind the sneak peak of their upcoming Indigo collection we dyed for them in Seattle. They were taken by Elisa Clements Tell us your origin story, how … Read more

Sunday Visit: Ni En More meets Blue Light Junction

For this Sunday Visit, we take a bit of a different approach. For Women’s month, I sat down with two inspiring women of our community, Janette Terrazas of Ni En More & Kenya Miles of Blue Light Junction on zoom. Janette did the Ibura Residency at Blue Light. I first met Janette 8 years ago, when I was asked to come down to Ciudad Juarez to work with the women. Ni En More is a non-profit organization dedicated to building social impact and empowerment through ethically crafted, naturally dyed clothing. I first went to Ni En More in 2016, when … Read more

Sunday Visit: The World of Arielle Toelke

Arielle Toelke’s visual work spans mediums, influences, and universes. She is always interested in adventurous collaboration. Arielle Paints Visions and uses a variety of mediums in her collages. She is the author of the Cooking Color Natural Dye Book. For this Sunday Visit, we learn how Cooking Color came to be, and the Aha! moment that drew her to natural dyeing. Arielle! Give us your backstory. How did you come to be you? What was the moment where you started to work with natural dyes? Ten years ago, I took an indigo dye workshop at an artists studio in Brooklyn. … Read more

Sunday Visit: Grand Prismatic Seed

Guy Banner and James Young are the co-owners and farmers of Grand Prismatic Seed, a small seed farm located in Northern Utah. They are committed to growing high-quality open-pollinated seeds that can withstand the stresses associated with high desert crop production. They specialize in growing seeds for dye plants and plants native to their bioregion, and also offer a curated list of seeds for their favorite cut flowers, vegetables, and herbs. All of their offerings are grown using organic methods. We are so excited to feature you and your incredible seeds and farm. Can you tell us a little bit … Read more

It’s Time to Start Seeds!

START YOUR DYE GARDEN TODAY Dear Plant Enthusiast, Are you ready to embark on a colorful journey? Imagine harvesting vibrant hues from your very own garden to create stunning textiles of nature. It’s time to start your natural dye garden. If you’re ready to sow the seeds of creativity, here’s a list of organic seed providers by region to help you get started: Northeast: High Mowing Organic Seeds (Vermont) Hudson Valley Seed Library (New York) Fruition Seeds (New York) Southeast: Bluelight Junction Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (Virginia) 3 Porch Farm (Georgia) Midwest: Seed Savers Exchange (Iowa) Prairie Moon Nursery (Minnesota) … Read more

Sunday Visit: Katrina Rodabaugh, Mending Matters

Sunday Visit is our interview series where we speak with an incredible maker in our community and learn about what makes them tick. Katrina Rodabaugh is an author and artist working at the intersection of sustainability, craft, and design. Using visible mending, natural dyes, and textile redesign in fashion, art, and home. She combines her training in sustainability with her experience in fiber arts to build eco-friendly solutions for modern lives. We sit down with her to learn about her practice. Katrina, you have been a friend of BC for a long time. Tell us a little bit about your … Read more

Sunday Visit: Ryan Scails Nuance & Materiality

For Sunday Visit, We are excited to sit down with the multi-hyphenate Ryan Scails. Based in Philadelphia, PA he examines the nuances of materiality within the built world and how intentional shifts in details can give humans context in ways that confront the limits of their bodies. By using fiber to create hyper specific structural relationships, his work highlights the potential in substantive engagements between the human body and our environment. In a manner that leans heavily on the sequential harmony of physical labor his work seeks to foreground pre-colonial technologies by riffing on fractured schematics, glyphs, and vernacular tools … Read more