Seasonal Botanical Dyes Workshop: Autumn - Camden Art Centre
Type
Courses & Workshops
Format
In the Building
Date 17 Oct 2026
14:00-17:00
Price £59
Booking information:

Day: Saturday

Book

Step into autumn and learn how to create natural dyes using local, seasonally foraged materials in this one-day workshop.

Join artist Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck to learn the basics of natural dyes and reveal the palette of colours that can be found in autumn from local and foraged material.

This beginner-friendly workshop will share how dyes can be made from natural materials as well as how to apply them – using a method that participants will be able to repeat at home.

This autumn edition of our seasonal dyes workshops will begin in Camden Art Centre’s Garden, offering a moment to relax, observe and draw from nature – seeking to foster a holistic approach to the materials used in this process.

Through various sessions over the day, participants will learn about the history of natural dyes and what local plants can be safely and responsibly foraged for use in dyes, as well as plants that can be grown at home for this purpose.

Participants will also gain a basic understanding of key elements to the process, including about fabrics, non-toxic dye fixatives, safety, the role of tannins and how to care for dyed materials.

All materials will be provided and a small library of books and materials will be available for reference and information during the day.

A short break is included in this workshop, during which cups of organic tea will be shared.

This workshop is directly inspired by the method Johanna employs in her own practice as an artist. Johanna will share her experience of responsibly foraging plants, using plant-based kitchen waste as dyes, and founding a community natural dye plant plot in Oxfordshire.

The Tutor

Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck (b. 1990, France) is a transdisciplinary artist based in rural Oxfordshire. Her practice, rooted in ecological awareness, spans painting, sculpture, photography, publishing, horticulture, and participatory projects.
Johanna’s work expresses care and tenderness, reflecting on the fragility and beauty of life. Recent solo exhibitions include Soft Soft at Mutty, Castiglione Delle Stiviere (2025) and Dreaming About Tomorrow at Nidi Gallery, Tokyo (2022). Group exhibitions include Soil at Somerset House, London (2025), The Equal Right to Live and Blossom at Kate MacGarry, London (2024), One Foot in the Sky at Contemporary Sculpture Fulmer, UK (2023), and Edge Effects at Whitechapel Gallery, London (2024).

Johanna tends two allotment plots in rural Oxfordshire, where, inspired by natural farming and following veganic permaculture principles, herbs, vegetables, fruits, flowers, dyes, and medicinal plants are often grown from organic seeds. She has learned about natural dyes during her childhood in rural Alsace (France) from her grandmother and later while living in India and travelling to Japan. For over a decade now, Johanna has focused on exploring botanical dyes on reclaimed cellulose fabrics in several of her art projects, of which the series ‘Penser, Manger, Partager’ is perhaps most well-known. Johanna continues to learn and explore natural dyes in England and during her travels.

In addition, Johanna founded the collaborative initiatives Poetic Pastel Press and The Gardening Drawing Club, the latter of which includes a Community Dye Plant Plot in Oxfordshire. Johanna is also the cofounder of the printed publication series Journal du Thé – Contemporary Tea Culture. She has given talks, organised and facilitated workshops and learning programs for adults and children at multiple art institutions, including Camden Art Centre.