I had the most wonderful conversation with Elisabeth Viguié Culshaw for this episode! She’s a natural dyer and botanical printer based in Glasgow’s West End, and her story is absolutely fascinating.
Elisabeth didn’t always work with plants and dyes. For years, she was up and down ladders in a hard hat doing conservation work.
But around 2015, she discovered botanical printing and everything changed. The transition took five years and in her own words she says:
Scotland is lovely, but perhaps a bit too small for what I was trying to build.
Covid changed everything and was the pivotal point for her.
There’s her dye garden patch at Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens, where she hosts “Fling Blue” every September for those who are interested. It’s become quite special.
A self-confessed “INDIGO GIRL”, Elisabeth gets technical for a bit about pigment creation and chemical processes and then takes us on a global journey.
This episode is full of golden story nuggets and I’m sure the more you listen to it the more you discover.
Find out about The Cotinus Community, Slowing Down and Reconnecting, Scotland’s Purple History and how anyone can Learn with Elisabeth.
Some Quotes That Really Stuck With Me
* “I get bored very quickly. I need to keep on learning.”
* “It’s not so much the colour that you are getting from it, it’s actually the fact that it really roots you back into normal life.”
* “When you work with plants, it suddenly resets your mind about the seasons, and that’s something we have so forgotten.”
I could honestly have talked to Elisabeth all day! Her passion for natural dyeing, her global perspective, and the global stories she tells are absolutely captivating. Listen to the full episode to hear about the thin thread of connection that runs around the world through this ancient craft.
Here is how you can connect with Elisabeth:
As always, thank you for listening to the podcast.
I would love to know what you’re taking away from this episode.
If you are a crafter in Scotland and would like to be a guest on this podcast, then please complete this short form - https://form.typeform.com/to/kUUWIPfR
To stay in touch and find out about upcoming guests then visit me over on Instagram and follow along - https://www.instagram.com/devinetoursofscotland/
In case this inspires you not only to be more creative but also plan a creative holiday in Scotland and would like to find out more about craft days out or tours, then use the contact form via my website to get in touch:
https://www.devinetoursofscotland.co.uk
