I anticipated grand results through eco printing with new plant materials in this very different environment.  I knew the climate, elevation, amount of rainfall and access to water would be very different from my surroundings in Tennessee.  I expected different results just because of the difference in the environment and looked forward to the experiments. 

I anticipated grand results through eco printing with new plant materials in this very different environment.  I knew the climate, elevation, amount of rainfall and access to water would be very different from my surroundings in Tennessee.  I expected different results just because of the difference in the environment and looked forward to the experiments.

In my experience with eco printing in Tennessee I have developed favoritism towards leaves like Maple, Redbud, Sycamore, and Sweet Gum.  I love to use them in my projects because they are so reliable, and I can get a variety of great results with these leaves based on my tried-and-true methods.  Naturally, these were the leaves I gravitated toward in my first experiments in Wyoming. 

I was surprised that I was unable to find Redbud and Sweetgum trees.  However, I was delighted to find that the native “Rocky Mountain Maple” tree has leaves that are much smaller and more beautifully ornate than the maple trees of Tennessee. The results on silk were so beautiful.  I was also very happy to find that a native invasive species called “Russian Olive” was abundant and had beautiful slender leaves with berries (and thorns).  This print on silk was soft and almost iridescent with the highlight being the soft purple created by the berries sans the thorns.

Resources were abundant in Dayton.  Particularly around the Tongue River that flows through the town and in Scott Park. There I found my favorite leaf of all the Red Twig Dogwood growing wild and free along the river. Both leaves and stems proved to be fun to work with. I found the results particularly pleasant on the cotton and linen.  It was fun to use them in creating upcycled garments I had also picked up from the thrift store. I came home with a new wardrobe! 

I was in my element in a very small town where plant life and deer were abundant. With only 850 people in the entire town, I could safely say the deer that wander throughout the town outnumber the people.  I spent every morning watching the sun rise, experiencing the wildlife, exploring the landscape and gathering my materials to use for the day.  It was the BEST way to start my day.  I now have a huge collection of both sunrise and wildlife photos that make me smile every time I look at them. 

So, what happened?  How did the experiments turn out?   

My daily practice of eco printing was like a girl gone wild – botanical style.  I had all day long to create beautiful things on paper, silk, and cotton, and linen using techniques I was so excited to try.  My wonderful husband was there cooking all our meals and all I had to do was explore and create.  Can you imagine a better day?! 

Throughout the two weeks I was there I learned that the leaves in Wyoming have a bit of a tougher shell than the leaves in Tennessee.  The leaves seemed to have a tough external “waxy” coat that required additional time in the steam or dye bath to produce results.  My results were much better when I extended the processing time by at least an hour more than my recipe called for at home.  I am guessing this is due to the environment where they experience very cold winters and the hot summers. It could have also been that the season I was collecting was different than in Knoxville.  I have read that perhaps leaves will have more tannins in autumn and wonder if these leaves were still in a different season in August than leaves in the east.  I do not know, but once I figured this out, I was on a roll and produced some wonderful images and new depth in my work.    

It was when I started experimenting with Logwood powder and alum as mordants on cotton and silk that I found my biggest growth.  I mordanted some of my fibers in logwood and sandalwood to use as the target on some and for a blanket for others.  This created the depth of the print I was looking for when I steamed them for a long period of time.  I happened on a treasure trove of vintage linens at a thrift store in Sheridan, WY for $20 just before my arrival at Tongue River.  It contained a plethora of cotton and linen napkins, monogrammed silks, placemats and tablecloths to play with. It made me very happy to hang them all out on the clothesline to dry after they had been mordanted like blank canvases ready to paint.  These were my toys and we played very nicely together all day. 

Some of the vintage linens and scarves on my website are part of the Wyoming Collection. They are very special pieces of art created in a fantastic environment.  I don’t know if you can see the influence this experience had on my work, but I can feel it.  I loved being in this part of the country in this tiny little town of Dayton, Wyoming where the deer wander the streets and eat apples from the trees in the back yard and a whole family of turkeys will visit your bird feeder sometimes. It is a wide-open place with big, beautiful skies full of large vistas in grand colors at sunrise and sunset.   

It was a peaceful place to be and a great environment to create.  I was grateful for the experience and the knowledge I gained.  I will share more in the coming weeks.  Here is the link to my Instagram page where you can see my Wyoming Adventure posts. Please let me know if you have any questions about the residency or the work! I appreciate you reading my blog!