SOLD OUT: Foraging and Dyeing with Plants and Mushrooms: Blending traditional Coast Salish knowledge with science

**In light of the new COVID 19 restrictions set out by the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), both workshops will require proof of vaccination.**

This in-depth workshop will introduce workshop participants to the magic and wonder of natural dyeing using local sources. Workshop participants will learn the basics of foraging for dye materials as well as how to use these in practice to create beautiful colours. The workshop is a balance between traditional Coast Salish ecological knowledge and western science. Both perspectives provide students opportunities to deepen their connection with the natural world.

Each student will create a reference of dye samples to help guide further dyeing as well as their own sample skein to dye and take home.

Dates: Saturday, October 2, 2021, or Saturday, October 9, 2021 (Please choose one date, as these are two sessions of the same workshop)

Time: 10:00am-4:00pm

Location: Museum of Vancouver

Tickets: $120 for non-members, $110 for members, $100 for Indigenous peoples.

*Please call 604-736-4431 during MOV business hours to obtain a discount code if you are an MOV Member or Indigenous. A service fee and GST is also applied to ticket sales.

Spaces are limited. Register early. Masks are required.

Workshop ticket includes FREE admission to our feature exhibitions That Which Sustains Us, A Seat at the Table, Neon Vancouver Ugly Vancouver, and c̓əsnaʔəm, the city before the city. Consider arriving early with your event ticket to view exhibits!

Please note that this is not a series, but 2 separate stand alone workshops. Please select one date to attend.

Workshop Facilitators

Rita Kompst

Local Artist, Musqeaum

Rita was born and raised in Musqueam. Her late father, Joseph Becker (Point), was a former Chief of Musqueam. He was also a self-taught artist who was well known for his wood carving and Salish designs. Her late mother, Evelyn Norris (Campbell) was also from Musqueam but lived on Vancouver Island. She is the eldest child and had 5 sisters and 5 brothers.

“I had never considered myself to have any artistic abilities at all but while delving back in my culture and heritage, I discovered a passion for cedar weaving and knitting. I currently work full-time as an executive assistant and now that my children are grown, spend my free time being creative! I met Zoe at a dye workshop in Musqueam and felt an instant connection to her and the work of dyeing mushrooms and other products. It is an honour to study and teach the art of dyeing with mushrooms and locally foraged products!”

Zoe McDonell

Wildlife Ecologist & Mushroom Dyer 

Zoe is a Vancouver artist of settler-descent who specializes in dyeing using the plants, windfall lichens and mushrooms from our forests. She has been teaching workshops, lectures and demonstrations on historical natural dye techniques and other fiber arts for almost 20 years.

When not dyeing, Zoe is an ecologist and studies how forest communities can be more effectively managed for conservation. She lives with her husband and children on the Musqueam Reserve.

“I first met Rita at a mushroom dye workshop and knew we were destined to have some great collaborations together. I am very excited to partner with Rita to teach this workshop.”