Natural Colors, Natural Connections

This week’s blog is from Madeline Corey-Thomas, a professional artist who began her career in the Northeast, traveled the United States from coast to coast and now resides in Savannah.  Read on as Madeline blesses us with a thought for the day and images for the eyes. FYI – – The Creative Coast’s blogspot is Savannah’s sounding board for local thinkers, innovators, wanderers and wonderers. Guest bloggers share their thoughts, opinions and creative noodling from all over the map… I am an artist of West Indian and American Indian (Blackfoot) descent. My work at one time was totally inspired by my native American Heritage.  I was raised in New England and attended primary schools and college in Massachusetts. During my career as an artist, I have participated in various art venues from the East Coast to the West Coast. During the period when I was creating Native American images, they consisted mainly of three dimensional figures, shields, breastplates and mandelas, to name a few. Next came a down side for me with health issues which resulted in a kidney transplant. The kidney was provided by my generous daughter for which I will ever be grateful. Once I got back on my feet, I began experimenting with a couple more creative endeavors and finally arrived at the creative space where I am currently residing here in Savannah. Creating artistic pieces with natural dyes seem to work well for me. I find the endless possibilities exciting.  I love the unending possibility of color and the amazing arrays provided by plants that are right in front of us every day. Unlike commercial dyes, plant and nature based dyes and pigments cause little to no harm to us or our environment. Conversely, the commercial dye industry has become the largest polluter of the planet earth. Most commercial dyes are either tar or petroleum based and many people experience adverse effects from the commercial dyes which surround us in our daily lives, our foods, our medication and our clothing. There are a number of reports linking the constant exposure to these toxins to the deaths of those who are employed in large factories using and manufacturing such products. Imagine our world if we use only plant-based dyes.  The art you see here is made from cotton rope which I color with natural dyes. I’m doing my part to make a better world…are you? Madeline Corey-Thomas]]>