Ochres, iron oxides, and earth pigments are humankind’s oldest art material. For ochre researcher and artist Heidi Gustafson, they are also an invitation to challenge how we interact with the inanimate world, and to deepen our respect, reciprocity, creativity, and connection with the lands we live on.
In this week’s episode of Terra Verde, Heidi joins host Fiona McLeod to share about her rare working collection of more than six hundred ochers from around the world, and to discuss her new book, Book of Earth: A Guide to Ochre, Pigment, and Raw Color. Art meets science in this celebration of earth’s extraordinary pigments and their fascinating uses today and throughout history.