Come join us in welcoming Alissa Allen of Mycopigments for SOMA’s general meeting - open to all!
Potluck starts around 6pm and Alissa’s presentation will follow, around 630/645pm.
The Sebastopol Grange: 6000 Sebastopol Ave, Sebastopol, CA 95472
Reclaiming Our Focus: Mushroom and Lichen Dyeing as an Antidote to Distraction
News alerts, advertisements and AI-driven content hijacks our attention, leaving some of us overwhelmed and reactive. But we don’t have to live in a constant state of distraction! This talk explores how replacing digital overwhelm with hands-on, nature-based learning helps us to restore balance and focus so we can be present for what matters most.
Alissa Allen is a naturalist and textile artist based in Washington state and is the founder of Mycopigments. She is widely known for sharing her love for mushroom and lichen dyes through her in-person workshops and international public outreach platform, Mushroom and Lichen Dyers United.
Alissa is committed to advancing the art, science and craft of mushroom and lichen dyeing as a means of forging bonds between individuals and the places they love. Her teaching approach draws inspiration from mentor Dorothy Beebee, following the tradition of Miriam Rice. Her workshops are designed to be accessible to individuals of all skill levels, providing a solid foundation for beginners while emphasizing the significance of curiosity and experimentation for all in their journey of discovery. By focusing on regional fungal dye palettes, small-scale applications and the open exchange of ideas, Alissa encourages each student to forge deeper connections with the natural environments around them and with one another. She prompts students to reflect on their ecological footprint while modeling conscientious ethical harvesting guidelines.
Alissa's mentorship has reached tens of thousands of students worldwide through her international workshops and lectures and her no-cost public outreach platform, Mushroom and Lichen Dyers United, which has over 46,000 members. Her expertise is acknowledged in the book True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments by K. Recker (2019), where she is recognized as a master of her craft. In 2022, she was honored to host the 20th International Fungi and Fiber Symposium in Port Townsend, WA.
Currently, Alissa is expanding her studies abroad. For the past four years, she has partnered with The Fungivore, extending her outreach to include traditional foraging and textile artisan villages in Oaxaca, Mexico, where she is as much a student as a teacher. Alissa’s latest offering brought her all the way to the island of Gran Canaria as an instructor for the 21st International Fungi and Fiber Symposium.
Alissa believes that when you act with reciprocity, exchanging gifts from the wild for community care of wild spaces, there is hope for a healthier planet.
Zoom Link for remote viewing: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86864067457?pwd=WkovMVlkR3FEbjVCMjZWcWRkMW52Zz09
Meeting ID 868 6406 7457, Password: SOMA
And if the technology gods allow, we try to live-stream to the SOMA Facebook page which has recordings of past meetings. https://www.facebook.com/SOMAmushrooms.org