Glass viles filled with powdered natural pigments labeled with name

Natural Earth Pigments for the Soul with Lauren Sauder

"Natural earth pigments are deep, full of secret beauty, holding stories waiting to be discovered. They’re slow and methodical. Soft and curious. For 10 years I have worked with landscapes documenting time and space as I experience it through natural environments. Through this work, I developed a heightened awareness and an intense push to explore natural earth pigments.

ground up pigment in bowl with palette knife with rock and more pigment

When I first began researching and collecting this material in my local landscapes, I was mesmerized by their feral characteristics. 

They entered my studio whole and through a slow and tedious process transformed into something that carried a language I was not familiar with. 

They radiated in color. 

They reflected light off of their many different surfaces. 

They vibrated, sharing their native tongue. 

I was entranced in their wonder.

I realized my calling was pigment work. 

Their stories captured me in a way that I couldn’t shake. 

Two viles next to tray holding watercolor paint in pans and pastels with a rock placed above them

I began sharing their language in my artwork and writings and teaching others about their mysterious qualities. 

I use natural earth pigments because they follow me in my dreams, they bring a light to my practice that I haven’t found elsewhere.

Natural earth pigments bring patience and understanding to my life. 

They slowly share their quiet teachings with me. 

I have learned to give them space, 

to vibrate and reveal their own nuances. 

They have taught me how to ask before taking, and appreciate before using. 

They inspire my artwork in new ways, allowing me to explore the Earth and all it has to offer."

 

Hand holding a glass vile with pigment and trays of various natural rock pigments in the background

By Author and Artist, Lauren Sauder

www.laurensauder.com

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