Plant magic: Meeting & making botanical inks

Come on a journey with artist Reb Rowe to discover her process to extract surprising colours from plants by brewing botanical inks.

Plant magic
Extracting colours from plants is an amazing process where science and magic are one. Not only can the base colours from a plant be surprising, but some can be modified to produce a completely different colour all together. Watching this shift in colour, often between extremes of the spectrum, will inspire and excite.  

Building connections and making plant friends
By experimenting with different plants- learning which ones offer colour, learning their names, how to identify them, what time of year they fruit and where they live and who they live with- opens up a technique of connecting to place. Over years of practice, Reb has been making inks and trying each time to achieve different colour results from plants she has grown to know, creating a mental map of who is fruiting, where and when around Adelaide. 

Not only do the plants influence which inks can be made- they (and nature) are in charge- Reb has become invested in the lives of the plants she returns to each season- many of whom are living in the garden beds of Adelaide’s public spaces- and therefore the conditions they live in. 

"It makes me observe my city differently. It keeps me constantly thinking of colour and reflecting on my mental map of where Illawarra Plum lives or hollyhock and if they will share their fruit and flowers. Most of all, it’s an exciting way to read and relate to the modified natural world and to feel connected to something broader through my art practice. It is awe inspiring how much the natural world wants to care for us, if we care for her back." Reb Rowe

Crafting the ink

This workshop is designed to be a 3-hour immersive experience, fostering creativity and connection with nature. Hear from Reb about her artistic practice and methods for collecting plant material to brew inks.

We will craft 5 inks together, using various techniques to find colour from plant materials, modifying them and experimenting to see what secrets they hold.

Finally we will unleash the inks onto the page to explore our new connection to what these plants have offered.

Location - QT Hub, 67 Spring ST Queenstown

Saturday Oct 12, 1pm - 4pm

This workshop is suitable for adults, older teenagers (15+) are welcome but need to be accompanied by an adult.
Places limited - bookings essential

You can check out some of Rebs work here: https://www.instagram.com/rebr...

Please contact the Port Environment Centre if you have any mobility or access concerns or other event enquiries (0488 229 925 or email hello@portenvironmentcentre.org.au)

The Port Environment Centre is funded by Green Adelaide with additional support from the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and the Suzanne Elliott Charitable Trust.

Attendee information may be used for follow up evaluation, in order to assess the longer term impacts of our events. Follow up contact may be made (in the form of a survey) but participation in any evaluation is optional.

Marni ngadlu tampinthi ngadlu Kaurna yartanga inparrinthi
It is good that we all acknowledge we are living on Kaurna Country.