Join eco artist and ink maker Sylak Ravenspine for an immersive workshop exploring the connection between the geology of Essex and ink making at Blank Slate, Friday 28 March 4:30pm to 6:30pm. Learn how complex animal and plant relationships play a vital role in the process. Craft rudimentary drawing materials from found objects and recycled waste, and practice drawing with the materials you have created.
Sylak will guide you through the fascinating process of transforming locally found materials into high-quality iron gall ink. This includes techniques such as crushing, grinding, making infusions, filtering, and promoting chemical synthesis reactions that will produce a stable pigment matrix.
In this session, you’ll gain hands-on experience in creating mark making fluids and leave with your very own bottle of ink.
About Sylak Ravenspine
Sylak Ravenspine (b. 1969) is an eco-artist based at theblokhouse studios in Southend-on-Sea. His work under ‘Inks of Essex’ brings together historic artifacts with locally sourced materials to create evocatively charged mark making fluids enthused with the physical properties of time and space. His wider art practice explores our relationship to the land and to the various soil types found beneath our feet. He has been selected to take part in this year’s Creative Estuary programme, and his work with mud spheres is currently on display during ‘Into The Zone’ at the Beecroft Art Gallery.