About Unruly Pigments: Artist Walk and Workshop with Ellie Irons
Join us for an artist-led workshop and material demonstration in which pigments are derived from the leaves, petals, and berries that thrive on the deCordova campus. Venture out on a guided walk with artist Ellie Irons to collect and gather the blossoms and leaves that green the Sculpture Park. After the walk, enjoy a demonstration with Ellie Irons to investigate the gathering, cultivating, and processing of these natural materials on an intimate scale. Share conversation with the artist around the wider implications of labeling certain plant forms as “alien”, “exotic” or “invasive” and develop your own deeper plant-human connection.
About the Artist:
Ellie Irons is an artist, educator, and parent living and working on Mohican land in Troy, New York, USA. Working across media—from watercolor paintings to un-lawning experiments—her practice combines socially engaged art and ecology fieldwork. Recent work involves collaborations about and with spontaneous urban plants (aka weeds), including co-founding the Next Epoch Seed Library and the Environmental Performance Agency. Ellie received a BA from Scripps College, an MFA from Hunter College, completed her PhD in arts practice Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2021, researching forms of artistic practice that cultivate plant-human solidarity. Her work has been covered by publications ranging from Art in America to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Her book Feral Hues: A Guide to Painting with Weeds was published in 2023 by Publication Studio Hudson. She serves as the community science educator for the Sanctuary for Independent Media’s NATURE Lab.
This program is part of our Crafting Nature series. The Crafting Nature series connects the public with artists and art historians to explore the natural world and craft, offering an intimate connection to incredibly accomplished makers and insight into the process of their creativity. To learn more about our other Crafting Nature offerings:
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Drawing from Nature: A Sketching Series | Every Saturday between September 14 – October 26
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We Are Stardust: A Conversation with Anna Von Mertens and Jennifer Roberts | Thursday, October 10
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Eco-Art Wellness: Family Circles | Sunday, November 3 (Registration Coming Soon!)
