Natural Dye Workshop: Exploring the Mushroom & Lichen Dye Palette of Oregon

Date: September 19th & 20th, 2026

Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture

This hands-on two-day workshop invites participants to discover the surprisingly vibrant world of fungal and lichen dyes found right here in Oregon. Students gain both the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to confidently work with foraged mushrooms and lichens as a natural dye source.

Day One focuses on building a regional dye palette. Working with a curated selection of Oregon mushrooms and lichens, students will explore how each pigment type behaves differently through the dyeing process, experiment with modifiers, and assemble a collection of over 20 documented dye samples, a lasting reference for future work.

Day Two is all about personal exploration. Students apply what they've learned in a freeform dyeing session using their own protein fibers such as wool, silk, alpaca, mohair, and more. Students also have the opportunity to work on a guided resist-dye silk scarf project. Discussion covers fiber selection, scouring, mordanting, and how different protein fibers interact with fungal and lichen dyes.

Students leave with an instructional booklet, a full set of dye samples, at least 6 oz of personally dyed fiber, and a beautiful hand-dyed silk scarf.

All materials will be provided.

No natural dye experience required.

For ages 16 and older. Those under age 16 may attend accompanied by an adult.

About the Instructor:

Alissa Allen is a naturalist, textile artist, and founder of Mycopigments (2012), based in Washington state. She is widely known for sharing her love of mushroom and lichen dyeing through in-person workshops and Mushroom and Lichen Dyers United, her no-cost public outreach platform of over 50,000 members worldwide.

Committed to advancing the art, science, and craft of natural dyeing, Alissa's teaching is rooted in curiosity, ethical harvesting, and the deep connections that form between people and the places they inhabit. Her expertise is recognized in True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments (K. Recker, 2019), and her work was recently featured in Craftsmanship Magazine in Kimberly Coburn's February 2025 profile, "Alissa Allen's Mycopigments Create a 'Palette of Place.'" A committed presence on the international natural dye stage, Alissa has participated in five International Fungi and Fiber Symposia — including Norway, Canada, Gran Canaria, and the 20th Symposium, which she hosted in Port Townsend, WA — and looks forward to the 22nd Symposium in Latvia. This October she returns to Mexico with The Fungivore for a week- long program in Chiapas, continuing a collaborative exploration of fungal color alongside traditional textile communities.

"When you act with reciprocity, exchanging gifts from the wild for community care of wild spaces, there is hope for a healthier planet."

Cancellation Policy

- $20 cancellation fee

- 0% refund for cancellations less than 1 week before the workshop

- 50% refund for cancellations 7-14 days prior

- Full refunds will be provided if PMRCAA cancels the event due to inclement weather or if an instructor is unavailable.

Please submit all cancellation requests in writing to [email protected].

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