Basalt Natural Dye Workshop transforms local ingredients, expectations

For those who have been dye-ing for the opportunity to try something new, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies is offering a Natural Dye Workshop on Thursday, April 17.

The workshop will take place at Rock Bottom Ranch in Basalt from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will give adults the chance to tap into their inner kid and experiment with something novel.

“I think it’s important to make adults feel that they can try something new,” said Lillian Bell, ACES community programs coordinator. “It’s really cool to get to see that again.”

The natural dyes will be made with both local plants sourced from Rock Bottom Ranch and food waste. 

“It’s a magical experience to take these things that would just go into the trash and see how they can transform fabric into completely different colors than one would expect,” educator Amanda Carotenuto, who will be teaching the class, said.

According to Carotenuto, red onion skins can dye fabric green, avocado skins can create the color pink, and black beans can actually make a blue dye. 

There will also be many shades of yellow that come from different plants that both she and Bell emphasized are worth getting to know.

“We know the names of our neighbors — why not know the names of the plants, as well?” Bell asked. “The plants are just as much a part of this community as the people.”

Carotenuto said that when she first moved to Aspen after bouncing from place to place for a bit, it was the plants that made her feel less alien and more connected to the community. 

“One tree I saw was a cousin of one back home,” she said. “It just helps me feel like I’m a part of the place and not just someone passing through.”

ACES workshops operate by donation; those planning to attend can do so on a sliding scale of $0, $10, or $20.