red ochre : august ‘19
Multivalent ochre of hematite and jarosite. Oakland, California. Foraged in 2015.
From a parking lot that covered an indigenous Costanoan Ohlone ochre mine. Near to the parking lot is also a 19th century sulfur mine. The stone is a mixture of both red ochre (hematite) and iron sulfate (jarosite) valued by two different cultures that occupied this landscape.
contributor : heidi gustafson
“I was called to this work from visions, inner guides, and a powerful dream which led me to discover the ancient ochre quarry in Oakland. This stone is from one of my earlier explorations of that landscape. I work with ochre (aka iron-based) pigments, learning how they can help humans evolve and what roles they play in the relationships between imagination and matter and the power of place.
I teach and mentor people how to connect to place, forage for mineral pigments, and find meaningful and personal ways to work with them. I also make personal pigments for people to support their individual practices, of all kinds.
Photo from Heidi’s website, www.earlyfutures.com. Photo credit Kyle Johnson (NYT).