03/18/2026 Wednesday 5-7pm Painting Workshop: Making Natural Ink with Foraged Plants

Using Foraged Plants to Create Natural Inks

Wednesday March 18th 5pm to 7pm

Entry Level Class—No experience necessary

Age 14+ (minors must accompany an adult)

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Create original paintings, book marks, and cards with freshly foraged inks and gain some inspiration for future inky experiments!

Learn how to make natural ink with artist Elizabeth Schmuhl. We'll begin the day outside (so dress for the weather) while we forage for plants. Students are also encouraged to bring plants or other materials from home. Anything can be used to create painting pigments! Back inside, Elizabeth will walk you through the ink-making process using your new finds.

During this 2 hour make + take workshop, Elizabeth will share samples, discuss her process, and demonstrate the ink-making process. Everyone will enjoy a hands-on experience while foraging, experimenting, and painting with freshly created inks.

Students will take home natural inks and several small paintings, book marks, and cards along with the inspiration and know-how to forage and continue creating painting pigments at home.

Aprons and gloves will be provided, but please wear closed-toe shoes and comfy clothing that may get dirty. 

About the Instructor:

Elizabeth Schmuhl is a multidisciplinary artist and the author of several books. Her most recent book, Fishes of the Great Lakes, contains paintings with natural inks made entirely from the Great Lake watershed and materials that surround it. She has taught at the University of Michigan, Art Institute of Chicago’s Oxbow School of Art, Wayne State University, POST, and elsewhere. She lives in Hamtramck + Benton Harbor.