Overview: Delve into the rich and subtle colors of natural dyes from garden plants. This short course is a special opportunity to work with plants grown on-site at the Oak Spring Garden Foundation's Biocultural Conservation Farm. Connecting the heritage of textile artisanry to sustainable studio practice, together we’ll:
· Harvest fresh dye plants
· Learn the best practices of fiber preparation for both vegetable and animal fibers
· Extract and apply color to a rainbow of swatches
· Demystify mordants and address the all-important question of longevity
· Create an indigo vat for celestial blue
We’ll discuss the home cultivation of dye plants, dye studio set-up, safety considerations, and explore the colorful history of natural dyes. All fibers and dyes will be provided for a mini swatch library. Participants are welcome to bring one additional pre-washed skein or yard of natural fiber for a personal project (up to 100g). Students are also asked to bring their preferred gardening gloves and plant shears, and wear clothing that can get messy.
Objectives
Introduce participants to dye-bearing plant varieties and their cultivation
Deepen participants’ connections to the plant world and wonders of plant chemistry
Provide a solid technical foundation, and a little light chemistry, as a springboard to future projects
Offer inspiration and conceptual connectivity from the cultural heritage of dyeing, one of humankind’s longstanding artistic collaborations with plants
Instructor: Natalie Stopka (she/her) is an artist and educator focused on the material history of color and sustainable studio practice. She captures material and elemental interactions in her experimental printmaking practice, incorporating a seasonally-changing vocabulary of plant dyes and natural pigments. Natalie’s studio and dye garden are located in Yonkers, New York. Her teaching experience includes Penland School of Craft, Sanborn Mills Farm, SUNY New Paltz, and Rhode Island School of Design. She is the author of From Plant to Pigment: How to make your own vibrant inks, pastels and paints (Skittledog, 2025).
@nataliestopka
Eligibility: This course is open to all levels of experience. No previous experience of natural dyeing is required, but an enthusiasm for plants and/or color is encouraged. Participants will be getting their hands (and possibly clothing) dirty. This course may be of interest to artists, textile lovers, keen gardeners, history nerds, and anyone curious about the materiality of color and sustainable studio practices. This course will be capped at 12 participants.
About OSGF: The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is an operating foundation based on the former estate of Paul and Rachel ‘Bunny’ Mellon, two of the major U.S. philanthropists of the second half of the twentieth century. OSGF is located in the northern Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains region (ca. one-hour drive from Washington, D.C.). Led by Sir Peter Crane, the Foundation’s inaugural President, OSGF supports fellowships and residencies for artists and scholars, offers short courses, and engages its multiple audiences, including its local community in practical horticulture, as well as land stewardship for the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. OSGF is rapidly becoming a new center of excellence and stimulation for all things botanical, from fundamental research in plant evolution, to horticulture and plant conservation, as well as the history and contemporary practice of plant, garden and landscape art.
Accommodation and Travel Information: Participants will be accommodated with all meals and private lodging on site at Oak Spring.
Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to the Washington, D.C. area. If flying, please book flights to Dulles International Airport. International applicants are welcome, but fluency in English is necessary. Closer to the start date, the Programs team will assist with coordinating travel arrangements to the Oak Spring Garden Foundation site, as necessary.
Dates and Duration: The course runs for four (4) days with participants arriving on Monday, August 2, 2027 and leaving on Friday, August 6, 2027. Participants should plan to arrive between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Monday, August 2, 2027 and depart around 12:00pm on Friday, August 6, 2027.
Course Fee: $1250 is all-inclusive and covers full tuition, lodging on-site for four nights in our comfortable suites, and all meals on-site (from dinner on Monday through breakfast on Friday). A limited number of full or partial Fee Waivers are available for this course.
Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed by Natalie Stopka and OSGF staff. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, meaning submissions are evaluated as they arrive. Qualified applicants may be admitted early until capacity is reached, so we strongly encourage submitting your materials as soon as possible to secure your spot.
Application Deadline:
Priority Application & Fee Waiver Deadline: Thursday, April 14, 2027 at 11:59 PM EST Submitting by this date guarantees full consideration for partial or full fee waivers and early acceptance notification.
Final Application Deadline: Thursday, May 13, 2027, at 11:59 PM EST Applications received after this date will only be considered if spaces remain.
The Oak Spring Garden Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. Decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other non-merit factor.