FEEDBACK FRIDAY Videos

FEEDBACK FRIDAY was a bi-weekly show featuring Botanical Colors’ President Kathy Hattori and Sustainability + Communications Director Amy DuFault. Every week, Kathy and Amy spoke with dyers, artists, scientists, writers and scholars about their favorite topic, natural dyeing and color.

FEEDBACK FRIDAY surpassed 130 episodes and went live in May 2020, two months into the pandemic lockdown. Both Kathy and Amy realized there was a need to gather community in a creative space with artists worldwide scared, lonely, quarantined and unable to take a class or workshop for inspiration. The result was overwhelming with well over 12,000 people having attended a presentation live at least once but many have been to more than half.

FEEDBACK FRIDAY presentations are now viewed worldwide as part of college and university curriculum, natural dye and fiber organization conferences, education for global brands and independent designers and Amy and Kathy’s favorite group, the attendees in different time zones who would set their alarms to wake in the middle of the night to watch it live.

Thank you so much for all the support you gave us during our show! You can watch all of the video recordings below or head to YouTube where we continue to download episodes.

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Natalie Stopka + Tilke Elkins

Last week we had a FEEDBACK FRIDAY alumni discussion with Natalie Stopka and Tilke Elkins! The two returned to FEEDBACK FRIDAY to have a conversation on ruderal plant color, orphaned materials and forging relationships through materiality at the margins. The two discussed unwanted, discarded, or simply forgotten things and following intuition as a practice of emergent design. If you’ve never been to a FEEDBACK FRIDAY featuring two former presenters in discussion you’re in for a treat. Watch the recording below. Check out these three previous matchups: Preserving history with Narayan Khandekar + Porfirio Gutíerrez Mapping Color With Sasha Duerr + Maibe … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Fibershed Ireland Takes on Linen + Woad

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we took an inspiring textile and color journey with Fibershed Ireland! We travelled to the island of Ireland and met Mario Sierra from Mourne Textiles. Mario is bringing a spinning mill at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland back to life. Despite having a rich history of linen production from soil to textile, in the last 30 years the linen industry has pretty much left Ireland, save a handful of weavers and finishers. Mario intends to change that at Mourne Textiles. We also met Jennifer Lienhard of AppleOak FibreWorks who talked about her … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Heidi Gustafson & Book Of Earth

On our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had Book of Earth author, artist and ochre translator, Heidi Gustafson. Heidi is based in the Cascade foothills of rural northern Washington. Her collaborative ochre and iron research projects include work with scientists, anthropologists, linguists, indigenous practioners, citizen foragers, healers, artists and places around the planet. Heidi’s current projects focus on ochre, iron oxides and land pigments and her cabin/studio houses the Ochre Sanctuary, a counsel of ochres and pigments from contributors world-wide. She also just published the most beautiful book ever called Book of Earth. Watch the recording below. Website Instagram About Heidi: … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Natalia Woodward of Bat Flower Press

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we had Tarrytown, New York-based Natalia Woodward, the founder of Bat Flower Press. In 2020, Natalia founded Bat Flower Press, a letterpress and papermaking studio that focuses on sustainable handmade paper and artistic letterpress designs. Having worked with high end art collectors and organizations such as New York City’s MoMA, Natalia has spent her career around precious artwork, and sees her company as an opportunity to bridge art and functionality, to collaborate with others, and to create meaningful work that is approachable to all. Watch the recording below. Bat Flower Press Instagram Bat Flower Press website Natalia … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: María-Elena Pombo of Fragmentario

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we had María-Elena Pombo of Fragmentario. Continuing on with our Earth Month series, María-Elena focused on using materials that are a byproduct of the food industry to prevent them going to landfill, but also as a strategy to promote non-extractivist and decolonial futures. Likewise, promoting using free materials and finally centering plants people have a connection with. María-Elena Pombo was born in Caracas and lives in New York City since 2011. She works through open-ended research projects that are normally translated into installations, objects, sculptures, and videos. Watch the recording below. About María-Elena Pombo: Instagram … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Terroir of Color

This week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we talked with Cara Marie Piazza on the terroir of color. How can we create natural dye solutions based on locality and the terroir of color while maintaining the integrity of the plant? Have you ever thought about local color where YOU live? Watch the recording here. If you love FEEDBACK FRIDAY support our presentations with a donation, (and thank you)! Cara’s info: Website Instagram Cara’s Illustrative Play Time: Painting with Tea Paints, Egg Tempera and Natural Dyes workshop Cara Marie Piazza’s Amazing Ice Dye Bundle Kit! RECORDING: Ice Dyeing Workshop with Cara Marie Piazza … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Krystle Moody Wood of Materevolve

Last week, and in celebration of World Water Day, we welcomed Krystle Moody Wood of Materevolve. Krystle shared an overview of the critical ocean and water impacts resulting from current textile and apparel systems and the key ways textile leaders can address issues such as microfiber pollution, shifts from climate change, forever chemicals, and more. We followed the presentation with a discussion centered around the role of natural dyes as a solution for these critical issues through the lens of water. (above image: Materevolve) Watch the video here. If you love FEEDBACK FRIDAY support our presentations with a donation, (and … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: (Alumnae) Brece Honeycutt + Anita Cazzola Talk Waste

Last time on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we welcomed back FEEDBACK FRIDAY alumnae Brece Honeycutt and Anita Cazzola. The two engaged in a conversation about waste: wasted color, waste as invasive, waste as wasted time to not stop and smell the flowers, color under our feet people see as waste (the dandelion?!), color in sad places people see as waste… With Brece recently home from a month-long residency at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (see in her bio below), and Anita in the middle of doing a residency at the New Brunswick College for Craft and Design, we got to experience a … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Botanical Artist Julia Whitney Barnes

Last FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we welcomed botanical artist Julia Whitney Barnes. Kathy and I discovered her amazing work as we literally stumbled into the Albany, New York Shaker Heritage Society on a morning walk from our Hilton. We saw Julia’s work across the fruit orchard we were in and couldn’t believe our eyes. Watch the recording here. Support our time creating FEEDBACK FRIDAY and paying presenters with a donation. Website Instagram Albany International Airport Art & Culture Program (where part of Julia’s show is right now!) + pre-security at the Albany Airport. Seriously, how cool is the Albany airport??? Julia loves … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Farm & Folk

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we welcomed Sara Buscaglia of Farm & Folk. Sara is an organic farmer, natural dyer and textile artist residing in the high desert of southwest Colorado. Her inspiration is found in the paradigm shifting slow processes of tending soil, seeds, and plants. Through her experience of being directly connected to food, natural color and fiber she has gained an understanding and appreciation of their true value. Her naturally dyed quilts are an embodiment of that. Watch the recording here. Shop Sara’s new book here! Support our time creating FEEDBACK FRIDAY with a donation. Farm & … Read more