Indigo Shade Map

Mindful Colors Subscription is officially launched 💙

Today I sent out the very first issue to my subscribers.

Issue No. 1: INDIGO | 쪽빛 — The Living Blue of Korea explores Korean indigo through plants, traditional knowledge, material culture, textile practices, and the many stories carried through the color blue.

I created the Mindful Colors Subscription as part of my own journey as a Korean diaspora artist, exploring natural color, textiles, culture, memory, and creativity.

Each issue will be a little different. Some will look more closely at Korean textile traditions, color culture, and history, while others will follow my own evolving practice—studio experiments, plants, materials, travels, teaching, and inspirations I encounter from other places and traditions.

It is part research, part cultural storytelling, and part personal journal: a space to share what I am learning, making, growing, and thinking about along the way.

I hope it can also be a place for anyone who is curious about Korean textiles, natural dye practices, creative process, and the beautiful colors we can find in nature.

It feels very special to finally send the first issue out into the world.

Thank you to my very first subscribers for joining me at the beginning of this journey. 🌿💙 Subscriptions are now open through Indigo Shade Map.

Thank you so much for your preorders! We’ve received a wonderful turnout, and the first shipment went out today. I hope you have a beautiful December, and may the Indigo Sketchbook Calendar brighten your days in 2026.

We’re still accepting wholesale orders (5+ more) please feel free to DM or email us at [email protected] for details. 🙏🏼

“The universe is in your palm.”
(Featuring a Japanese indigo leaf resting in your hand.)

This watercolor painting was originally created for My Indigo World but didn’t make it into the final book. As I look back through three years of indigo-inspired artwork, I’m carefully selecting pieces that feel meaningful and connected.

I’m planning to turn some of these works into a 2026 art calendar. 🌿✨
Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on products you’d love to see?
Feel free to drop your ideas in the comments below! 💬

Teamwork Makes The Dreamwork.
As we wrap up the First InAugural Indigo Apprenticeship 💙🌿

💙 Call For Indigo & Madder Samples 🧡

Indigo Shade Map is excited to share an open call from Edith Sandström, who recently began a postdoctoral research project using stable isotope mass spectrometry to study the provenance of heritage dyes. Her research begins with indigo and madder, exploring how this method can reveal not only dye identification but also insights into provenance, trade relations, and cultural exchange.

To build this work, Edith is seeking geographically diverse, well-documented reference materials of indigo and madder. She invites the natural dye community to contribute small samples (~1 g) from any part of the process—plant material, extraction baths, or dyed objects.

👉 Please read more details in our latest blog post (link in bio) and contact Edith directly at [email protected].

🌿 Indigo Shade Map is a platform for sharing stories of natural dye and indigo practices worldwide. If you have a project, story, or open call you’d like to share—or if you’re seeking support from the community—please reach out to us.

📸 Photo credit: Edith Sandström & indigo samples submitted by Samorn Sanixay

Removing the alkaline water solution to reveal the precious Indigo paste together.

#쪽염색

Here are some Pre Aeration Photos that help indicate that we could begin that process.

Want a closer look at what we have been doing during our Indigo Journey?

Visit the Indigo Shade Map website via the link in our bio to check out our blog series and subscribe to our email list for future news about what we have going on at IndigoShadeMap.

photos & blog by

This week in the Indigo Apprenticeship Program:
We submerged fresh Indigo leaves in water to prepare them for the aeration process.

Isn't She Lovely 🌿🍃🩵

#쪽염색

INTERN TAKE OVER:
Peaceful Greetings
My here my name is Amanda and you can call me Ama.

I am honored & excited to introduce myself as the 2025 Indigo Shade Map Intern & Indigo Apprentice. I will be posting to keep the community updated on the amazing work we will be taking part in this summer.

Additionally, Here are some cool photos of one of our dedicated apprentices who volunteered to help me complete the remaining part of the our first harvest of the summer

Wednesday we gathered the final 29lbs pounds of fresh indigo by hand from Farm Alliance’s Black Butterfly Teaching Farm, where the seedlings were originally started and transplanted by Blue Light Junction.
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This program is rooted in hands-on, experiential learning—guiding participants through the full cycle of indigo (Polygonum tinctorium, or Jjok, 쪽) cultivation, harvest, and pigment-making. More than just technical training, it nurtures values of community, resilience, and sustainability, while honoring the rich cultural traditions connected to indigo. This program is rooted primarily in Korean and Japanese indigo traditions, reflecting the background of program lead Rosa Chang, who studied extensively in both regions. The species of indigo used—Polygonum tinctorium—is native to East Asia and central to many of the practices taught during the sessions. This makes the apprenticeship especially meaningful for those who wish to not only learn how to make pigment from the indigo plant, but also understand the deeper cultural stories and heritage carried within these traditional methods.

We’ll be sharing more updates about this journey on my personal blog and through Blue Light Junction. Be sure to subscribe to Indigo Shade Map to stay in the loop!

#쪽염색

.lightjunction

How was your Earth Day?
We’re excited to share the final chapter of Julia’s indigo journey! In this post, Julia explores the rich culture and stories of her home region, Normandy. She highlights flax—one of the region’s most well-known fiber plants—and delves into the fascinating history of woad, the traditional European indigo plant that was once widely grown not only in northern Europe but also across parts of western and northern Asia.

Enjoy reading Julia’s indigo story, and don’t forget to explore more woad tales through our interactive map!