Pigment and Plant, Historical Paint Making for Climate Action Week

Join us at Rua Red for Climate Action Week for a natural paint making workshop led by Roxana Manouchehri! This workshop offers an engaging, hands-on exploration of sustainable art practices by connecting contemporary environmental awareness with historical paint-making techniques. Designed for teens and adults, the session guides you through the process of crafting non-toxic watercolours and gouache completely from scratch using natural, mineral-based pigments. The event will open with a brief presentation on Egyptian and European medieval paint production, highlighting how artists historically worked in harmony with natural materials before the advent of synthetic, chemical-laden paints. Following this introduction, you will learn about the tactile art of grinding raw mineral pigments and binding them with natural mediums. Once your paints are prepared, you will apply your handmade colours to a botanical painting study, using seasonal autumn leaves as direct visual inspiration. By revisiting historical, earth-friendly methods, this workshop encourages you to reflect on sustainability in creative practice and consider how artists can reduce their environmental footprint today.