Mark-making is a fundamental artistic practice through which materials become gesture, image, and expression. In this workshop, participants will use natural ink from cochineal to create original compositions on textile. Together, the group will explore how a single material can produce a range of colors through changes in chemistry, concentration, and application.

Rather than focusing on traditional dyeing techniques, the workshop investigates pigment as a contemporary artistic medium—one that carries memory, material knowledge, and history. Participants will explore the visual and material qualities of cochineal ink while considering the relationship between material, process, and mark-making.

Drawing from his artistic practice, Porfirio Gutiérrez shares his approach to working with cochineal as a living material—one that continues to evolve through observation, experimentation, and making.

The workshop will include:

• Introduction to cochineal as a pigment
• Exploring modifiers and color variation
• Techniques for working with natural inks
• Creating an original painting using cochineal ink

• Setting the final work