Black Star Projects - Joiri Minaya: Venus Fly Trap
Bartram's Garden
5400 Lindbergh Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19143
June 29, 2025, 12:00 - 2:30 PM
RSVP Required

Join me for this workshop in conjunction with Joiri Minaya: Venus Fly Trap, a site-specific, commissioned performance series and installation at Bartram’s Garden. In this workshop we will explore the wonders of indigo and natural fabric dyeing. Learn about the cultural significance of indigo—a plant that became one of the most lucrative commodities in the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade, and which remains deeply embedded in African diasporic history—and create your own textiles using natural dye made from indigo grown at Bartram's Garden.

We will begin with a grounding activity and collective song for the vat to activate connection with the land and materials. Additionally, Bartram's Director of Horticulture & Lead Gardener Mandy Katz will join us to discuss the history and cultivation of indigo at the garden. Through this workshop, each participant will experiment with various dye resist techniques and all will leave with their own hand dyed fabrics that can be used as custom hand towels, accessories, and more.

Capacity is limited. RSVP required.

May 29 - June 1 | Performance details and additional programming at venusflytrap.blackstarfest.org

Indigo Workshop

Stenton Museum
4601 N 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140
Saturday, July 12 2025
12:30 PM — 3:00 PM
FREE

Explore the Stenton Museum with me, natural materials artist, Nicole Duprée, to identify sources of color to make botanical ink. Bottle sensory experiences and connection with nature, then experiment with shifting the color of your handcrafted ink to create a plant-based color palette for drawing, printmaking, and fine writing with dip pens and brushes.

Workshop Space is Limited! RSVP Required

Botanical Ink Workshop

November 9
Philadelphia Guild of Handweavers

An afternoon of creative play and exploration with small-batch, natural, handcrafted supplies from the Indigo in Green Studio Apothecary. Experiment with natural dyes for paper, botanical inks, earth pigment crayons, and handmade watercolors. Each material holds stories of connection with place, plants, and communities of Philly. Everyone will create a collection of works on paper using materials that are rooted in nature and made by hand.

Natural Dye, Ink, & Paint on Paper

Mount Airy Learning Tree
Wyck Historic House and Garden | Farm @ Awbury

Make your own ink for drawing and fine writing from natural materials using flowers and plants growing in our green spaces and simple ingredients found in your kitchen! Bottle experiences of connection with natural places and experiment with your own plant-based ink in this workshop

Botanical Ink Workshop

Saturday, October 19 10am – 12:30 pm
Morris Arboretum and Garden
$60 | Morris Arboretum Members: $55

Explore the Morris and identify sources of color that can be used to make botanical inks from petals, leaves, drupes, and roots of the autumn season! After a plant walk, we will get to work making our own ink for drawing and fine writing, made from natural materials foraged in fall. Bottle sensory experiences and connection with nature together, then experiment with shifting the color of our own handcrafted ink to create a plant-based color palette for drawing, printmaking, and fine writing with dip pens and brushes.

Autumn Ink @ Morris Arboretum

Saturday, August 31
People's Kitchen | Reinhard Street Community Farm
FREE

In collaboration with People’s Kitchen Philly and Termite TV Collective, we shared plant stories and created botanical prints: sunprints using turmeric and rubbings using handcrafted color blocks made from turmeric, beeswax, and finely ground yellow rock.

Plant Imprints