Eco Printing Reflections - June 2022

I have wanted to try eco printing for YEARS, and now I finally get to at my artist residency at Lions Park. Having researched this method from multiple sources, I now get to try out different methods and see what I like best and what works best.

I first made iron water- using a large piece of rusty metal I found at the park, likely from the train that runs through it, I soaked it in a vinegar-water solution for one month. I wanted to incorporate the energies of Lions Park into it as much as possible, so I used water from the Coquitlam river to make this solution, as this river runs through the park.

While I was waiting for the iron solution to do its thing, I sourced and prepared the fabric. My art practice is eco-conscious and as connected to nature as can be, and I am sourcing natural fiber (wool, cotton, linen, etc) fabric from thrift stores, my community, and a not-for-profit called Our Social Fabric. I scoured the fabric in soda ash purchased package free at The Refill Stop. Then I mordanted the fabric in soy milk and water- mordanting the fabric allows dyes to absorb better.

I am continuing to source natural fiber fabric over the summer. Please connect with me if you have fabric you can donate. :)

At my June workshop, participants curated the fabric that I then heat treated. This fabric will be used in the art installation that will be going up in the park from August-October. We are making sweaters for the trees, inspired by how trees look after they have been freed by our friend and foe English Ivy.

I am hosting multiple eco printing workshops this summer, come join me- learn more and sign up here.

Kaitlyn Beugh's mission is to assist you in fostering a soulful connection to self and the natural world through creation and intention. She is an interdisciplinary visual artist. Her art practice plays on the ephemeral, and is intuitively channeled and created in a flow state.

She lives, works, and plays on the unceded land of the Coast Salish First Nations. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts with a minor in Social Practice and Community Engagement from Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and has a background in social services.

Kaitlyn is a practicing artist and has some of her artwork for sale in the form of original pieces via her website here. Kaitlyn is currently studying herbalism and connecting deeper with the energies of plants and natures cycles.

Let's stay connected. Sign up for my email list here: https://www.kaitlynbeugh.com/