Cochineal
A gift of nature on my palm - Cochineal - the tiny insect harvested from the prickly pear cactus plant that produces a vibrant red pigment when dried and crushed. In an incredible multi-generational open air studio in the Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle, I had the opportunity to experience hands-on the legacy work of wool processing, natural dying and weaving. I have been eager to see how this red dye works in real time. The color reacts slightly differently to the PH of the individual, so the color on my hand was not the same as the next person. It was then altered with lime juice, baking soda, and ash to produce variations on the color.
Cochineal produces such an exquisite color, one with a cool, almost jewel undertone. It is in stark contrast to the synthetically produced reds that can harbor an over-saturated red.
In the Museo Textil de Oaxaca, I was able to view multiple iterations of the traditional Huipil dress embroidered in both natural and synthetic dyes. And of course, I was drawn to the cochineal dyed garments again and again.
