Dry Run

June-July 2026

Maki Teshima's two person show at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, Colorado. 

 

​Press Release: are here. 

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The artwork, Dry Run, is inspired by Colorado’s changing landscapes and explores both the beauty and fragility of the natural world. After visiting abandoned mining sites in a western Colorado valley with collaborator Sharifa Lafon, I was struck by signs of resilience and beauty - pine trees and mushrooms growing beside polluted creeks with vivid orange mud. Even a cute snowshoe hare hopped by. 

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I found a large plastic bag stuck in the rivermud, beautifully stained by iron-rich water, and incorporated it into the artwork. I also dyed silk organza in the creek, producing soft, pale peach tones that became part of the installation.

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Another inspiration came from seeing a turtle surviving in a shrinking - dried up pond at Washington Park during a period of drought. Through botanically dyed textiles- many dyed multiple times to create dusty, earthy colors- the work reflects on environmental change, our relationship with natural resources, and nature’s quiet ability to adapt and endure.​

 

At the same time, Colorado’s increasing water restrictions forced me to reflect on my own artistic practice. As a botanical dye textile artist, water is essential to my process. For a long time, I unconsciously believed water would always be available in unlimited amounts. Now, I question how long this relationship with natural resources can continue...

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Natural Dye Sources for Dry Run 

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• River mud and sediment collected from a polluted river in western Colorado

• Marigolds from the artist's garden in Denver

• Onion skins donated by Katsu Ramen, Aurora, Colorado

• Indigo grown in the artist's garden (Persicaria tinctoria) and indigo sourced from India (Indigofera tinctoria)

• Cottonwood catkins collected from a street in Washington Park, Denver

• Areca (betel) nuts sourced from an Indian grocery store in Aurora

• Avocado pits collected from the artist's family and neighbors and donated by Stowaway Kitchen, Denver

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Additional colors in the artwork were created through layered natural dye processes:

• Green tones were achieved through indigo dye and onion skins or marigold, applied in varying sequences.

• Dark brown tones were created by mordanting the textiles with oak gall tannins, dyeing them with onion skins, and modifying the color with iron.

• Wine-colored tones were created by first dyeing the textiles with avocado pits, followed by an indigo overdye.

• The patterns were created through bundle dyeing and painting with earth pigments layered on top.  

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Each color reflects a specific relationship between local ecology, community participation, and the slow process of natural dyeing.

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