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KASIA PARKER
Botanical inks
In 2022, after more than a decade of using printmaking as my primary artistic medium and frequently working with harmful acids and solvents, I began considering materials that were more environmentally friendly. This shift became even more important when I started working in my garden studio, which lacked a dedicated waste disposal system.
Although I had a basic understanding of plants, I wanted to explore their properties to create inks for drawing. I began by making oak gall ink, a historic medium used in the Magna Carta and by Leonardo da Vinci. Following an ancient recipe, I boiled crushed oak galls, mixed the liquid with iron water (iron soaked in vinegar), and added gum Arabic and clove oil. The result - a rich, black, permanent ink - was a revelation. Sketchbook notes and samples helped me refine my techniques, boosting my confidence to tackle larger projects.
After this initial success, I experimented with other natural materials, such as avocado stones, walnut husks, foraged plants, and kitchen waste like red cabbage and beetroots. My research drew from historical dye recipes and the experimental practices of contemporary artists like Jason Logan, whose use resonated with me. These experiments resulted in a vibrant, organic colour palette.
Making botanical inks appeals to my love for the outdoors and my fascination with scientific processes. By using modifiers like vinegar and baking soda, I discovered how variables can affect colour in unpredictable ways. Unlike mass-produced inks, these living colours evolve over time, offering unique textures and depth. I often leave residue in my inks to create reticulation effects, reminiscent of stone lithography.
In 2024, I received the Global Challenges Scholarship, which has allowed me to expand my research by investigating materials that could be used to produce 3D work.
Although I had a basic understanding of plants, I wanted to explore their properties to create inks for drawing. I began by making oak gall ink, a historic medium used in the Magna Carta and by Leonardo da Vinci. Following an ancient recipe, I boiled crushed oak galls, mixed the liquid with iron water (iron soaked in vinegar), and added gum Arabic and clove oil. The result - a rich, black, permanent ink - was a revelation. Sketchbook notes and samples helped me refine my techniques, boosting my confidence to tackle larger projects.
After this initial success, I experimented with other natural materials, such as avocado stones, walnut husks, foraged plants, and kitchen waste like red cabbage and beetroots. My research drew from historical dye recipes and the experimental practices of contemporary artists like Jason Logan, whose use resonated with me. These experiments resulted in a vibrant, organic colour palette.
Making botanical inks appeals to my love for the outdoors and my fascination with scientific processes. By using modifiers like vinegar and baking soda, I discovered how variables can affect colour in unpredictable ways. Unlike mass-produced inks, these living colours evolve over time, offering unique textures and depth. I often leave residue in my inks to create reticulation effects, reminiscent of stone lithography.
In 2024, I received the Global Challenges Scholarship, which has allowed me to expand my research by investigating materials that could be used to produce 3D work.
V.A.R.C mini residency
Visual Arts in Rural Communities (VARC) is based at Highgreen, Tarset, in Northumberland. VARC funds and manages an ongoing programme of artist residencies, providing opportunities for artists to develop their work in response to the rural landscape.
In July 2024, I was invited for a mini residency at VARC by the artist Jenny Purrett. We had never met before, but we had followed each other’s work on Instagram. We share a deep interest in nature, drawing, and the continual exploration of organic materials.
Jenny was a great and very generous host. We began the day working on a large scale in a muddy field, surrounded by foxgloves and saplings emerging from trees damaged during Storm Arwen. Wrens flitted in and out of their nests, hidden among heaps of dead branches—an environment that, at first glance, seemed chaotic and destroyed but was, in fact, teeming with life and regeneration.
Immersing ourselves in this landscape, we used clay, peat, and ink to create spontaneous marks, with the rain and wind becoming our unwitting collaborators. Later, we moved to the studio, where we worked with botanical inks I had brought and clay we had gathered from the field.
Together, we created a series of drawings that explored the unique properties of clay and peat as drawing materials. The results were both surprising and deeply satisfying—particularly a discovery of peat’s velvety, deep black tones.
I also returned to the field and experimented with hammering foxgloves to transfer their natural dyes from flowers to paper.
The experience of working in direct connection with the landscape, using materials sourced from it, undoubtedly invigorated my practice. It opened new ways of creating art and deepened my connection to nature.
In July 2024, I was invited for a mini residency at VARC by the artist Jenny Purrett. We had never met before, but we had followed each other’s work on Instagram. We share a deep interest in nature, drawing, and the continual exploration of organic materials.
Jenny was a great and very generous host. We began the day working on a large scale in a muddy field, surrounded by foxgloves and saplings emerging from trees damaged during Storm Arwen. Wrens flitted in and out of their nests, hidden among heaps of dead branches—an environment that, at first glance, seemed chaotic and destroyed but was, in fact, teeming with life and regeneration.
Immersing ourselves in this landscape, we used clay, peat, and ink to create spontaneous marks, with the rain and wind becoming our unwitting collaborators. Later, we moved to the studio, where we worked with botanical inks I had brought and clay we had gathered from the field.
Together, we created a series of drawings that explored the unique properties of clay and peat as drawing materials. The results were both surprising and deeply satisfying—particularly a discovery of peat’s velvety, deep black tones.
I also returned to the field and experimented with hammering foxgloves to transfer their natural dyes from flowers to paper.
The experience of working in direct connection with the landscape, using materials sourced from it, undoubtedly invigorated my practice. It opened new ways of creating art and deepened my connection to nature.
3D forms
My practice often explores three-dimensional media and materials like clay, porcelain, paper, and metal, examining their physical properties, textures, and transformations. I am particularly interested in how these materials interact with light, shadow, and the surrounding space, creating dynamic dialogues between form and environment. Through my work, I investigate themes of balance, tension, fragility, and permanence. The relationship between object and space is important in my artistic practice and I try to invite viewers to engage with the works from multiple perspectives and experience them in a more immersive, tactile way.
Digital work
I use digital technology to manipulate and enhance my drawings, creating unexpected and often surprising effects. Through this process, the original image undergoes a transformation, yet it retains key elements of its original character. I find it fascinating how a drawing made with organic materials—such as botanical inks or clay—can be translated into a digital medium, where it takes on new dimensions while still carrying traces of its physical origins.
Working digitally also provides a great degree of flexibility in terms of scale and presentation. The image is not confined to a fixed size but can be expanded, reduced, or even projected onto walls and other surfaces. This adaptability allows for immersive experiences, where the artwork interacts with space in dynamic ways. By merging traditional, tactile methods with digital tools, I explore the interplay between the natural and the technological, the physical and the virtual, pushing the boundaries of how an artwork can exist and be experienced.
Working digitally also provides a great degree of flexibility in terms of scale and presentation. The image is not confined to a fixed size but can be expanded, reduced, or even projected onto walls and other surfaces. This adaptability allows for immersive experiences, where the artwork interacts with space in dynamic ways. By merging traditional, tactile methods with digital tools, I explore the interplay between the natural and the technological, the physical and the virtual, pushing the boundaries of how an artwork can exist and be experienced.
Drawing, print and artists books
Drawing, the purest of all art forms for me, serves as both a foundation and a starting point for further exploration through various tools and mark-making techniques. It is an intuitive and dynamic process that allows me to experiment, discover, and evolve my artistic language. Through drawing, I explore gesture, texture, and form, using it as a means of investigation and a bridge to other artistic disciplines.
My practice naturally extends into printmaking, where I have developed a strong connection to intaglio techniques, particularly copper and zinc etching, as well as collagraph. These methods allow me to experiment with depth, layering, and intricate details. Over time, I expanded my practice to include mokulito—a hybrid process that merges lithography and relief printing on a wooden matrix—offering a unique interplay between texture, grain, and surface.
In addition to printmaking, I have explored the structure of artist books, particularly non-sewing techniques, as a way to rethink the format of visual storytelling. The artist book becomes a tactile and interactive extension of my drawing and printmaking practice, allowing for a more immersive engagement with the work.
Beyond traditional printmaking, my interest lies in pushing the boundaries of drawing by incorporating experimental materials and methods. By integrating cut and folded paper, found objects, and other unconventional elements, I investigate how drawing can extend beyond the flat surface into spatial and sculptural compositions. This approach allows me to challenge conventional perceptions of drawing and printmaking, creating a dialogue between two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms. I am particularly interested in the relationship between materiality and mark-making, exploring how different surfaces and structures influence the final composition.
My practice naturally extends into printmaking, where I have developed a strong connection to intaglio techniques, particularly copper and zinc etching, as well as collagraph. These methods allow me to experiment with depth, layering, and intricate details. Over time, I expanded my practice to include mokulito—a hybrid process that merges lithography and relief printing on a wooden matrix—offering a unique interplay between texture, grain, and surface.
In addition to printmaking, I have explored the structure of artist books, particularly non-sewing techniques, as a way to rethink the format of visual storytelling. The artist book becomes a tactile and interactive extension of my drawing and printmaking practice, allowing for a more immersive engagement with the work.
Beyond traditional printmaking, my interest lies in pushing the boundaries of drawing by incorporating experimental materials and methods. By integrating cut and folded paper, found objects, and other unconventional elements, I investigate how drawing can extend beyond the flat surface into spatial and sculptural compositions. This approach allows me to challenge conventional perceptions of drawing and printmaking, creating a dialogue between two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms. I am particularly interested in the relationship between materiality and mark-making, exploring how different surfaces and structures influence the final composition.
MA show
The MA Fine Art Practice program at Sunderland University (2022-24) has helped me develop practical skills while also providing tools for self-reflection, enabling me to critically examine my ideas, methodologies, and formal choices in presenting my art. As a result, my work has become more focused and research-led.
I can now identify several key features of my artistic practice: embedding my work in nature—both as a source of inspiration and as a direct medium—the continuous exploration of drawing and mark-making, and the incorporation of three-dimensional elements into my creations. My practice also involves building and cultivating connections—primarily with the audience but also through collaboration with technicians, craftspeople, and other artists.
These strands came together in my final show called: Quiet Alchemy, where I created an installation featuring a scientific apparatus that 'transformed' organic matter into botanical inks. This was complemented by a series of drawings made exclusively with natural inks and soil gathered during the VARC residency, ceramic plant sculptures, and a video shot in the Land of Oak and Iron in Blyth, which served as both a visual backdrop and a contextual reference for the installation.
Engaging with the audience has become increasingly important to me. With that in mind, my objective for the final show was to create an immersive experience for the viewer, using artificial lighting to guide them through the exhibition.
Featured works: 1. BIO CIRCUT- an installation (blown and readymade glass, conduit pipes, concrete cast base, rubber pipes, platform dolly, botanical inks, ceramic flower, plants, wire, stones, chain, light, electric motor, approx.2.30mx 1.40m)
2. THE LAND OF OAK AND IRON – video recording 1.53. mins, playing on a loop.
3. GROW - series of drawings (botanical inks, soil 21 x 29.7 cm)
4. UNTITLED – drawing (botanical inks, soil 2.40x1.50cm)
5. REMNANTS AND SEEDS - installation (glazed clay, soil)
I can now identify several key features of my artistic practice: embedding my work in nature—both as a source of inspiration and as a direct medium—the continuous exploration of drawing and mark-making, and the incorporation of three-dimensional elements into my creations. My practice also involves building and cultivating connections—primarily with the audience but also through collaboration with technicians, craftspeople, and other artists.
These strands came together in my final show called: Quiet Alchemy, where I created an installation featuring a scientific apparatus that 'transformed' organic matter into botanical inks. This was complemented by a series of drawings made exclusively with natural inks and soil gathered during the VARC residency, ceramic plant sculptures, and a video shot in the Land of Oak and Iron in Blyth, which served as both a visual backdrop and a contextual reference for the installation.
Engaging with the audience has become increasingly important to me. With that in mind, my objective for the final show was to create an immersive experience for the viewer, using artificial lighting to guide them through the exhibition.
Featured works: 1. BIO CIRCUT- an installation (blown and readymade glass, conduit pipes, concrete cast base, rubber pipes, platform dolly, botanical inks, ceramic flower, plants, wire, stones, chain, light, electric motor, approx.2.30mx 1.40m)
2. THE LAND OF OAK AND IRON – video recording 1.53. mins, playing on a loop.
3. GROW - series of drawings (botanical inks, soil 21 x 29.7 cm)
4. UNTITLED – drawing (botanical inks, soil 2.40x1.50cm)
5. REMNANTS AND SEEDS - installation (glazed clay, soil)
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