Guatemala: Natural Dye Studies

2026 Residency

A study of native Guatemalan natural dyes, beginning my ongoing research into an encyclopedia of colors created exclusively from natural materials throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

Using Guatemalan cotton and wool from Momostenango, along with small samples of industrial cotton and silk yarn, I explored color through locally sourced materials including pericón, níspero, palo de Campeche, palo de vida, cochineal, avocado, cacao husk, and toasted cacao seed. Alum and iron were used as modifiers to expand and alter the resulting palette.

The final woven piece was created with Momostenango wool dyed with these materials, bringing together the colors developed through the experiments into a single textile.

This research began in Guatemala and will continue over the coming years as an evolving color archive—documenting the materials, landscapes, traditions, and processes that give each place its own language of color.

With gratitude to GRACIA Textile Intensive Residency for opening its doors to me and creating the space to learn, experiment, and connect with Guatemala’s rich textile and natural color traditions. I am deeply grateful for the knowledge shared and for the opportunity to begin this journey in such a magical place.