Material Memory Studio — Research
Material Research Library
A living archive of material references, historical sources, biomaterial experiments, pigments, binders, and artistic research — accumulated across 12 countries and ongoing studio practice.
Each entry includes what the material is, why artists use it, historical context, basic process, common failures, and Jay's own studio notes. The library grows with each workshop, residency, and research trip.
Browse by Category
Natural Dye — An Introduction
Colour from plants, insects, and minerals — fibres, mordants, and the chemistry of natural colour
Indigo Vat — 3-2-1 Fructose Recipe
Natural indigo fermentation vat using fructose as reducing agent and calcium hydroxide as alkali
Cochineal
Scale insect dye from Oaxaca — reds, purples, and pinks from carminic acid, mordant-dependent
Botanical Dye Plants
Marigold, palo de brasil, weld, walnut, perikon, and other plant dye sources from field practice
pH & Colour in Natural Dye
How acid and alkaline conditions shift dye colour — and how to use pH as a creative tool
Mordanting
The mineral bridge between dye and fibre — alum, tannin, soy, soda ash, and the chemistry of colour fastness
Gromwell — 자초 (Lithospermum erythrorhizon)
Korean purple root pigment — shikonin extracted in oil or alcohol, not water
Eco-Printing
Steam-printing botanical pigments directly onto mordanted fabric — leaves, petals, and bark leaving their imprint in the fibre
Plant Fiber — Hemp, Nettle & Bast Fibres
Natural bast fibres from stem plants — textile, paper, rope, and biomaterial applications
Learn & Make
From archive to studio — learn these materials in person
The research here forms the foundation of our workshops and 1:1 material consultations. If you want to work with a specific material — hands-on, in the studio — reach out.