Join Elissa Callen in exploring the use of California invasive plants as art materials for inks, watercolor, and environmental restoration. Throughout the course, students will learn about native and invasive plants, how to ethically harvest plants as color for dyes, inks, and pigment, and how to process them into inks and watercolor. Students will also gain a better understanding of the importance of building a deeper relationship with the natural environment through learning about conservation and the ecological impact of their artistic practice. The class will primarily focus on using invasive plant species of Northern California, but we will also explore the beautiful campus and nearby to see what we can sustainably use on site.

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Instructor Bio: Elissa Callen is an artist working with local plants and fungi to make natural pigments, inks, and dyes that she further uses as the staple materials in her art practice. She holds a degree in fine art, has a professional background in horticulture, and nearly ten years of experience researching and practicing sustainably using natural materials for color. She has taught through institutions including Point Reyes National Seashore, Save the Bay, and the Sonoma County Mycological Society.