Pigment + Place Workshop (May 22-June 1, 2026)

This 10-night workshop/residency is an immersive experience designed for all pigment workers; whether you are new or continuing, you will find your place in this inspiring course. You’ll receive the expert guidance of two dedicated pigment workers: artist/poet Daniela Naomi Molnar and artist/ochre specialist Heidi Gustafson. In collaboration with PLAYA’s unique landscape, you’ll learn to see the world as your palette, a transformative practice that will spark change in your creative life. The skills you learn will also apply to your home bioregion, and you’ll also bring home creative collaborations, gorgeous colors, and a revitalized creative life.

We’ll begin where you are. If you’ve never made a pigment before, you’ll learn all the skills you need to do so. If you’ve been making pigments for years, you’ll dive into exploring advanced techniques and ideas. You’ll learn how to ethically forage pigments and transform them into any type of paint or ink while exploring the poetics and philosophies of a pigment-making practice. And you’ll gain new insights into the ways pigment-making can catalyze creative engagement with ecological issues, including climate change. 

Here in the vast, open space, making pigments from rocks, plants, bones, and wild waters, you’ll interact directly with ancient timescales, finding new insights, inspiration, and artistic paths. Pigment-work makes accessible forms of time our daily lives can obscure — geologic time, photosynthetic time, or what is often called “deep time.” In opening up different timescales, pigments offer a balm for the confusion and challenging emotions that our ecological crises can provoke. 

Guided field trips will offer the opportunity to explore this exceptionally beautiful and diverse region. We’ll go on short hikes to get to know pigment sites, ancient petroglyphs, and other regional wonders. Daniela is a certified wilderness guide with backcountry medical training so you can feel safe on these outings. You can expect lots of laughter, camaraderie, inspiring ideas, beautiful expeditions, collaborations, gorgeous colors, and new ideas and techniques for your creative practice. 

Days 2 – 4 of this class will cover basic pigment-work and foraging skills. Experienced pigment workers will have the option to refresh their skills or dive into creative prompts and studio visits. Everyone will receive optional readings and have the opportunity to participate in guided field trips, slideshows, and conversations. Days 5 – 6 will offer individual studio time with optional studio visits from the instructor to discuss your questions, interests, and goals. Day 7 is a guided field trip, followed by 2 more days (days 8 – 9) of studio time with optional individual studio visits. We will wrap up on day 10 with the opportunity to share your work and receive supportive feedback from the group.

🦅 Take two workshops back to back and stay at PLAYA for free the nights in between! Pair this workshop with Taking a Closer Look: The Ecology of Summer Lake Through an Artist’s Lens Workshop (a stay from May 14 to June 1).

Click each cabin below for the full workshop agenda and details, and cabin descriptions.

Cancellation policy: $50 cancellation fee. Six or less days before arrival NO refund; seven-14 days before arrival 50% refund; 15-28 days before 75% refund.