November 6, 2019
“A Sense of Place,” an exhibit of ecoprints on fiber and pottery by Nashua artist Tanya Prather, is on display in the library’s art gallery in November.
“Ecoprinting is a constant voyage of discovery between myself and the process,” Prather says. “It requires both intention and surrender.”
The process
To create one, she lays organic materials (leaves, flowers, bark, or berries) directly onto the surface of fiber (silk, linen, cotton, or paper) and then bundles or compresses them. She submerges the bundles in water, enabling the dyes from the plant material to transfer and permanently bond with the fiber. Trace minerals in the water may influence color in subtle ways. The method of compression determines whether the resulting image is a direct print or more nuanced and abstract.
Colors of New England VII
Couleurs de la France II
Never alike
Because of variations in the season of foraging, the soil in which the plants grew, the freshness of the botanical material, and other factors, no two ecoprints are ever identical.
This summer, Prather created a series of her ecoprints at the Jardin Conservatoire des Plantes Tinctoriales, a conservatory garden of dye plants in France. These are contrasted in the exhibit with a similar series created in New England.
Prather studied art at George Mason and Washburn Universities. She has participated in numerous juried group exhibitions throughout the Northeast.
Meet the artist
The exhibit can be viewed during regular library hours. Meet the artist at a reception in the library gallery on Wednesday, November 20, from 5:30 pm to 7 pm, and during the Winter Holiday Stroll on Saturday, November 30, from 5:45 pm to 8:10 pm.