Ode to Janot: Violet

Title

Ode to Janot: Violet

Date

2021

Dimensions

41” x54”

Media

Handwoven textile utilizing cotton and linen yarns. Fabric incorporates woven shibori resist. Dyed with indigo and cochineal.

There are only two individual dye sources that will produce a violet color: Both of them are problematic for the dyer. One is murex purple (purpura), a rare and endangered mollusk dye. The other is a species of rare orchil lichen. After fermentation, the lichen will produce a fugitive purple color on protein fibers.

My own study of violet/purple on cotton and linen has led me to achieve a purple by the use of two separate dyes: indigo and cochineal (Dactylopius coccus). Both dyes are stable, lightfast, and readily available. The indigo was dyed first. Several different values of indigo, from pale to dark, was used to create the foundation for the colors. Once the indigo dye process was complete, the textiles were then mordanted and dyed with cochineal, which was sourced from Mexico. The amount of cochineal ranges from 2% to 10% weight of fiber in order to achieve the desired range of color.