Name: Petals Into Pigment: Natural Dyeing with Valentine’s Flowers
Start: 2026-02-20T17:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-02-20T19:00:00-05:00
Location: New Bedford Art Museum

$Petals Into Pigment: Natural Dyeing with Valentine\u2019s Flowers$

Turn Valentine’s flowers into lasting color. Learn natural dyeing and create a wearable bandana infused with memory.
About this Event

Friday, February 20, 2026
5 PM to 7 PM
Petals Into Pigment is a hands-on natural dyeing workshop led by artist and natural dyer Korie Ellis that explores how color can hold memory. Using leftover Valentine’s Day flowers, participants will transform something fleeting and delicate into something lasting and wearable. Instead of letting bouquets fade, this workshop gives them new life through pigment, process, and personal meaning.

Participants will dye a cotton bandana using plant-based color, creating a one-of-a-kind piece infused with the pigments of a preserved moment. Flowers from personal bouquets are welcome, but not required. Additional flowers will be provided so everyone can participate fully and create something meaningful.

Alongside the creative process, Korie introduces the science behind natural dyeing. Participants will learn how pH affects color, why natural fibers matter, and how plant pigments interact with different materials. The workshop also highlights principles of circular design, demonstrating how discarded flowers can become vibrant sources of color, expression, and sustainability.

This experience is as much about reflection as it is about making. A bouquet of flowers often marks a meaningful moment but fades quickly. Through natural dyeing, participants are invited to pause, preserve, and transform that moment into something they can wear and carry forward.

No prior experience is needed. All materials are prepared in advance, and each participant will leave with a naturally dyed cotton bandana and care instructions to help preserve its color and story.

Instructor
Korie Ellis is the artist behind Falling off Trees, a practice rooted in the art and science of natural dyeing. She began her journey in early 2020, transforming kitchen scraps into color while caring for her young children. What started as curiosity grew into a deep passion supported by community, experimentation, and a commitment to sustainable, circular design. Her work draws inspiration from nature, memory, and personal storytelling, honoring the emotional connection we have to the garments we wear. Korie teaches workshops, collaborates with makers, and maintains a dedicated dye garden guided by her belief in creating with the earth, not against it.