Student Blogs, Spring 2026

 Clare Cassidy

Rhys Conner

Gem Hansen

Hayley Harris

Julia Hewitt

Sophia Johnston

Laurel Koschal

Owen Lindsey

Colin Locatell

Alaina Medina

Emmy Murphy

Layla Niakan

Jordan Outland

Conor Reese

Shannon Song

Tilghman White

MAKE INK FROM NATURAL DYE

 
To make ink using natural dye powder, mix chosen dye powder with a liquid medium like water, and add a binding agent like gum arabic to help the pigment adhere and create a smooth ink consistency; you can adjust the amount of dye powder to achieve the desired color intensity, and strain the mixture to remove any particles before using it as ink. Once cooled, add wintergreen essential oil to preserve. 

KEY STEPS: 

Gather your materials: 

• Natural dye powder (e.g., turmeric, beetroot, indigo, oak galls) 

• Distilled water • Gum arabic powder •

 Glass containers for the ink. 

• Glass container to dissolve gum Arabic. 

 • Fine mesh strainer or coffee filters 

• Wintergreen essential oil 

• Two liquid droppers – one for gum Arabic and another for wintergreen essential oil. 

 • Alum (optional) 

Prepare the dye solution: 

• Mix a small amount of your chosen dye powder with hot water in a glass container. 

• Stir well to dissolve as much pigment as possible. 

Add the binding agent: 

• Dissolve gum arabic powder in a separate small amount of water. 

• Gradually add the gum arabic solution to the dye mixture while stirring continuously. 

Adjust consistency: 

• If the ink is too thick, add more water. 

• If the ink is too thin, add more gum arabic or dye powder. 

Strain the ink: 

• Use a fine mesh strainer to remove any undissolved particles from the ink. 

 • This is necessary when making ink from boiling natural materials. When using natural dye powders, straining is not usually needed. 

 IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS: 

• Experiment with different dye powders: Explore various natural sources like berries, flowers, leaves, bark, or even food coloring to achieve a range of colors. 

 • Mordant for better colorfastness: Depending on the dye, adding a mordant like alum can help fix the color to the paper and make it more resistant to fading. 

 • Testing before use: Always test your ink on a small area of paper or fabric before writing extensively to ensure the desired color and consistency.

Diversity Banner Project 2024

 

Hannah Garrido

Personal Banner

Garrido

Details of Personal Banner

Hannah Garrido

Club Banner 

Socialables

Club Members with Banner

Miranda Barnes

Club Banner

Deaf Awareness Club

Miranda with Club Member

Miranda Barnes

Personal Banner

Ruth Coffman

Personal Banner

Ruth Coffman

Club Banner

Flagler College Dance Team

Morgan Renfro

Personal Banner

Renfro

Detail Personal Banner

Morgan Renfro

Club Banner

Kylee Cromwell

Personal Banner

Kylee Cromwell

Club Banner

Green Beans Recycle

Jana Klinger

Personal Banner

Jana Klinger

Club Banner

Brooke O'Donnell

Club Banner

Brooke O'Donnell

Personal Banner

Brandon Santiago

Club Banner

AIGA

Brandon with AIGA Club President

Brandon Santiago

Personal Banner

Claire Loftus

Personal Banner

Claire Loftus

Club Banner

Club Unity

Claire with Club Unity Members

Lindsey Murray

Club Banner

Theatre

Lindsey Murray

Personal Banner

Sydney Newsham

Personal Banner

Newsham

Details Personal Banner

Sydney Newsham

Club Banner

Sport Management

Sydney with Club Member

Banners Installed in Student Center

Banners Installed in Library

Images below of work in progress. 

Shauna Gentile, Student Work

 

Ode to Intention” pt. 2 featuring Jessica

Cotton yarn hand dyed with indigo. 

Solid color on collar and cuffs. 

Speckled indigo on remaining garment. 

Ode to Intention Featuring Diaje

Top - Salvaged paint that was poured flat and cut into pieces, 

sewn together with embroidery thread. 

Skirt - Salvaged denim and textiles hand dyed with marigold and indigo.

Ode to Intention Featuring Sydney

Top - Salvaged paint poured flat and crocheted with second hand yarn.

Skirt - Salvaged denim, second hand yarn used to create a crochet inlay pattern which was then backed with hand dyed textile. 

Belt and Scarf - Hand dyed with logwood with soda ash, overlaid with Indigo pattern and embroidered. 

Ode to Intention Featuring Brooke

Top - Yarn hand dyed with cochineal, crochet. 

Skirt - Salvaged paint, crochet with hand dyed cochineal yarn. 

Ode to Intention 

I designed, prepared the textiles, constructed the garments and photographed this body of work. Inspired by sustainable textile practices, I used second hand materials such as salvaged denim and paint to create "one-of-a-kind" textiles. I created this collection to highlight discarded materials in the realm of fashion. My sustainable designs seek to challenge the conventional notions of modern fast fashion.