Wildin’ Out

Wild Pigment Project mindfully puts the power of colors in the hands of creators

Artist and curator Tilke Elkins’ Wild Pigment Project seems like something that would have existed well before its 2019 inception, but now that it’s here, one almost has to think, “Finally!”

While in grad school at Bennington, Elkins found herself inspired by the idea of creating her own pigments after working with grass and chlorophyll in place of traditional paints. As she dipped further into the practice of doing just that—foraging from the land and creating pigments from various plants, soils and rocks—further things to ponder arose: What does it mean to create with materials you gather yourself? What does it mean to take from unceded lands? Who has a right to what? What must return to the land? How can the practice of creating pigments best be shared with other artists?

Such questions are at the heart of the project, as well as a healthy dash of experimentation. Think of the various pigments like the product of recipes.

“I found a book called Colours of the Earth by Anne Wall Thomas,” Elkins tells SFR. “She’s from the Southeast and had learned from her husband how to gather soils and make them into paints. I found her book and it was the only book I could find at the time about making paint from soil, so I followed her guidance, but I was also kind of doing it on my own.”

Others appeared, however, as it turns out there are plenty of artists out there who either already work with foraged pigments or want to learn. That’s how Elkins began the Wild Pigment Project and the Ground Bright subscription service, which offers a monthly delivery of foraged pigments at a nominal fee—and it’s also how experts in the field connected with Elkins, who curated a group show featuring participants in the Wild Pigment Project at form & concept alongside a solo show of her own work.

“As I broadened my awareness, I found other people who had their own small networks,” Elkins explains. “I think people have a hunger for this materiality, for connecting with the Earth and questioning their own relationships with the land.”

The show includes 28 artists who have participated in the project, who not only show their work, but the pigments they foraged alongside it. Furthermore, interested parties can check out Elkins solo show, Records of Being Held at form & concept concurrently. Lastly, on Tuesday, Elkins and other artists will participate in an online story session that not only digs deeper into the project’s ethos, but which allows for artists to speak a few minutes on what it means to them.

“Specifically, they’re stories about how pigments have brought them to places of action and healing,” Elkins says. (Alex De Vore)

Pigments As Catalysts for Action, Decolonization & Healing: A Virtual Story-Sharing Event: 2-3 pm Tuesday, Oct. 11. Free. form&concept.center/events/95

Tapes ’n’ Tapes

If you’ve ever had a hankering to see some fascinating digitized video clips outlining various elements of Native America, your ship has come in thanks to a joint event between the Center for Contemporary Arts, the Institute of American Indian Arts and the Native American Video Tape Archive. In a nutshell, the latter organization gathered video imagery of various Native goings-on as part of a Bicentennial project way back in 1976—be it art, dance, literature, documentary, what-have you. Then, just last year, an IAIA archivist received a grant to digitize those tapes. In other words, this is probably the first time some of this footage has been available to the public in more than 40 years. When you’re done checking out the footage, maybe wander down to the CCA’s Tank Garage to see the work of 13 stellar Native artists in the concurrently running show, Self-Determination: A Contemporary Survey of Native and Indigenous Artists. (ADV)

Self-Documented: The 1977 Native American Video Tape Archive: 6 pm Thursday, Oct. 6. $15. Center for Contemporary Arts, 1050 Old Pecos Trail, (505) 982-1338

Tourism

Oh, sure, you could go out to see art work in galleries like some kinda n00b, or you could figure out how to cut out the middle man and check out artists in their own habitats. At least that’s part of the idea behind the 2022 Santa Fe Studio Tour. This year, the annual event finds more than 70 artists working in countless mediums opening up their workspaces for dedicated art fans to get a glimpse behind the curtain and into their processes. Sometimes, learning how the process works is the most exciting part. But don’t fret if you can’t schlep all over town—organizers have put together a preview gallery-like opening event at the Santa Fe Woman’s Club at which you can view a smattering of works from participating artists. The tour itself runs for the next few weekends, too. (ADV)

2022 Santa Fe Studio Tour Preview Gallery: 5-8 pm Friday, Oct. 7. Free. Santa Fe Woman’s Club, 1616 Old Pecos Trail, santafestudiotour.org

Noodling Around

Quick note? You won’t catch a listing for Open Kitchen’ Asian Noodles Cooking Class in our print calendar this week, because it actually happens a little later in the month—Saturday, Oct. 15, to be precise. We mention it now, and encourage you to mark your own calendars at home, because registration for classes taught by chef Hue Chan Karels fill up fast, and you’ll only have until Wednesday, Oct. 12 to sign up. You remember Karels, right? Just last June she was kind enough to go shopping and cook with SFR staff (Stop, Shop and Cook; June 20), and those who have taken any of her classes come away with a better understanding of what makes food work. You get to eat it, too, and with a variety of dishes on tap, not to mention info on sauces and broths, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the finer points of noodles. (ADV)

Asian Noodles Cooking Class: 10 am-1 pm Saturday, Oct. 15. $115 (Register by Oct. 12). Open Kitchen, 227 Don Gaspar Ave., openkitchenevents.com