Heidi Gustafson is a Washington-based artist who has created an archive and website to gather, protect and study ochre. In this respect, ochre is defined as: minerals containing the presence of iron and oxygen. With the help of archaeologists, scientists and fellow artists she has amassed over 550 samples of ochre pigments. These ochres range in colour from yellows, oranges and reds, to greens, browns and blues. Her website Early Futures, among other things, provides information on naturally occurring ochres, offers workshops and sells a range of ochre pigments. The photo above shows Heidi gathering orange ochre on location in the state of Oregon. The photo below shows samples from the Early Futures’ ochre pigment collection.
