All photos © Heidi Gustafson unless noted, courtesy of Abrams, shared with permission
There’s quite a bit more to ochre than the deep, golden hue squeezed out of a tube of paint. “Color is tied to matter, as much as light,” told Colossal in a recent . “In fact, in the ochres and Earth pigments, it tends to be the metal elements (iron, copper, lead, etc.) that are responsible for our color experience.”
The Washington-based artist and founder of the () marvels at the diverse hues of naturally-occurring minerals beneath our feet. In her new Book of Earth, published by , she takes us on a journey through rare pigments and their landscapes in a celebration of the what she describes as the “behavior, capacities, being-ness, language, needs, and concerns” of the material.
Each chapter of Book of Earth is dedicated to an aspect of the Gustafson’s archive, which contains more than 600 samples. The volume elucidates the world of natural color, challenging our perceptions of terrain and the inanimate world, and includes practical advice and techniques for creating your own pigments. Find your copy on .
Photo by Chiara Zonca
Photo by Sheena Callage
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article appeared first on .
Related Posts
