Celebrating Regional Rainbows: Exploring the Northern California Fungal Fibershed with Alissa Allen of Mycopigments

Join us for a three-day immersive workshop revealing the vibrant hues of the Northern California Fungal Fibershed at the Fibershed Learning Center in Point Reyes, CA. In this three-day course, you will experience the breadth of the art and science behind working with fungal dyes.

Date

April 18th to April 20

9am – 4pm

Location

Fibershed Learning Center

14000 Point Reyes – Petaluma Road Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

The Event

• We’ll start by exploring the local landscape, practicing techniques for spotting, documenting, and identifying mushrooms and lichens with ethical harvest practices at the forefront of our minds. We’ll then go through the process of testing our findings for dye potential. This will leave us with a solid approach to one of the most important aspects of the craft: acquiring dye materials.
• On our second day, we’ll work with a curated selection of Northern California’s finest wild dye specimens, exploring the specific route to optimal color required by each fungal group. We’ll coax vibrant hues from the entire spectrum of color.
• Our third day together is dedicated to dyeing your own selection of protein fibers: wool, silk, alpaca, etc. Bring 6 oz of protein fibers to dye, plus additional fiber – in case there’s extra dye to utilize, there almost always is! This workshop aspect shows how fiber selection plays a role in showcasing the color. Observing everyone’s variable results will enable you to take note and move forward confidently in fiber selection.

In this workshop, you’ll connect with other fungi and fiber enthusiasts while you enhance your skills at spotting mushroom habitats, testing for color, and ultimately creating stunning, naturally dyed fibers from local fungal dye species. In addition to your own dyed fiber, you’ll take home an instructional guide, a field testing kit, an elegantly designed silk scarf, and a rainbow record of recipes and samples from the best local species.

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Please bring any personal snacks, lunch and beverages. Coffee and tea will be offered.

Maximum 15 students.

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About the Instructor

Alissa Allen is a naturalist and textile artist based in Washington state and the founder of Mycopigments (2012). She is widely known for sharing her love for mushroom and lichen dyes through her in-person workshops and international public outreach platform, Mushroom and Lichen Dyers United.

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