Pigment foraging in Norway
I was lucky enough to spend some time in Norway over the New Year holiday. The cottage we stayed in was nestled between a lake and a forest—an absolute dream for a pigment maker!
Every day, I wandered through the snow-covered woods, completely immersed in a fairytale landscape. Coming from southern Sweden, I'm not very used to snowy winters. Back home, the ground is bare year-round, offering a constant supply of pigment sources. But here, surrounded by deep snow, I wondered—what could I possibly forage?
So, my expectations were low. I imagined I might find a few fir cones to bring back home. I have only been able to find a few back home so I thought I would try to find some here. But wow, was I in for a surprise!
Foraging in a snow-covered landscape does come with its challenges, but I found far more than I had imagined. I found stunning yellow ochre that stood out brilliantly against the white snow!
While most days the ground was completely frozen, there were moments when the surface softened just enough for me to scrape and collect some beautiful Norway Ochre.
Another highlight was the Beard lichen. I couldn't help but smile as I wandered among them—so delicate, swaying gently in the wind.
Lichen has been used for natural dyeing for centuries, but because these organisms grow slowly, I didn't want to remove any growing lichen from trees. Instead, I admired them from afar, simply appreciating their beauty!
But then, on the night before we were going to travel back home, a storm swept through the forest. So the next morning, as I walked through the woods, I found fallen lichen, pine cones, and branches scattered across the ground. Grateful for these gifts by nature, I gathered as much as I could and was so excited to bring these materials back home.
So I can't wait to dive into my findings and see what pigments and colors they will yield. This unexpected foraging experience reminded me that nature always has surprises in store—you just have to look closely and be open to what it offers.