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 Since I began this project I have been pining for a good blue to use in my icon. Growing some woad and thereby having indigo to use was a wonderful start but certain concerns were always in the back of my mind as to whether such pigment could really be counted light-fast. So I kept on playing with different ideas of what might be possible within my 100 mile limit …
Then the idea struck me: What about “Maya Blue”? About 800 AD cultures of the pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, such as the Maya and Aztec, discovered how to create a bright permanent blue. But, this technology was lost and it wasn’t until the 1960′s that research began to uncover how this pigment had been made (this research is still underway today). What became clear through this study was that the blue was made from two materials: Indigo pigment and Polygorskite clay.
The question was, could I find polygorskite clay? Here again, with my gratitude, Reiner found an old reference that mentioned Marlstone, a lime-rich mudstone, oftentimes has some polygorskite in it. Further research indicated that the ratio is usually 35-65% clay and 65-35% carbonate. The hope of creating one of the great historic pigments of North America was very inspiring and so Reiner, Maggie and I decided to head off to Marl Lake, a man-made lake that was excavated in the early 1900′s.
 Unlike most of my other excursions, Marl Lake is not a rural or industrial setting but a recreational space with lots of cottages. I was prepared to introduce myself and the project to different cottagers if necessary, but it turned out not to be needed. Our initial look was worrisome because it appeared that sections of Lake Rosalind (the adjoining body of water) had been back-filled. When we stopped by the side of Marl Lake to look around, however, Reiner found that this shoreline was pure marl mud! Within a few minutes we filled a pail and our search was over. While this cut off our usual enjoyment of exploring an area in more depth, such a wonderful find is really enough in itself. So, we headed home, enjoying our success.
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Hello,
I live and work in El Salvador, Central America. I have been working with indigo on an every day basis since 2001. We focus mainly on textiles, we use our indigo, not woad. We use both kinds Indigofera Suffruticosa and Indigofera Guatemalensis. We have sometimes worked with gold leaf as a decorative element on some items such as wall hangings. We have retaken the use of indigo as a result of the help of the Japanese and the German governments to the country. And although we have learned to master some issues of the dying process in textiles we still are a long way to go with it regarding organic ways of using it. We are very intrigued by your research and findings and would like to hear a bit more about them if possible. We appreciate your sharing your discoveries too!
Carmen B.
Dear Carmen,
I’ve responded to your interesting post via email. Thanks for your comment, and I look forward to hearing more about your work.
Christopher