The Mushroom Color Atlas: A Guide to Dyes and Pigment Made from Fungi
The Mushroom Color Atlas: A Guide to Dyes and Pigment Made from Fungi by Julie Beeler review – natural dyes in an underground world
Unearthing the art, ecology, and mystique of fungal dyes
Front cover, Illustrated by Yuli Gates
Design by Kristen Hewitt and Wynne Au-Yeung
Julie Beeler’s The Mushroom Color Atlas ventures beyond the basic technicalities of dye-making, guiding us through a profound exploration of the artistry and ecology of fungi-based pigments. This unique volume transforms the act of dyeing into something poetic, even revelatory, celebrating the quiet marvels of nature’s resourcefulness and adaptability. There’s an alchemy to these dyes,” Beeler writes, “a delicate interplay between soil, moisture, and mushroom that yields colours as complex and layered as any artist’s pigment.”
Rather than simply offering a manual on dye-making, Beeler treats readers to a dazzling array of colours hidden within common and rare fungi alike. Each page feels like a discovery, cataloging how shades are not only drawn from the mushrooms themselves but also shaped by the environments where these fungi grow. With carefully curated photographs, the book shows us vivid colours ranging from the softest greens to earthy reds and impossibly deep blues—a testament to the variety and vibrancy that the natural world can produce without chemical interference.
Beeler’s background in art and ecology breathes life into the technical content, weaving together stories about mushroom habitats, traditional dyeing practices, and the sometimes fragile ecosystems that support these fungi. She describes it as an “act of co-creation” with nature, highlighting how colours shift depending on the mushroom’s environment, season, and even soil acidity. This is more than a guide for would-be dyers; it is a call to reconsider our relationship with materials and nature. Her approach underscores the importance of a slow, sustainable relationship to colour-making, one that respects the cycles of nature rather than exploiting them.
Detailed crop of Mushroom Color Atlas Poster
Image Credit: The Mushroom Color Atlas
One of the Atlas’s particular strengths lies in its visual richness. The high-quality colour swatches catalog hues that might surprise: coppery oranges from Omphalotus olearius, delicate pinks from Cortinarius species, and deep violets from Dermocybe sanguinea. “Each mushroom is a world unto itself,” Beeler explains, “with colours as fleeting and unique as their spores.” For artists, textile designers, and ecologists alike, this is a treasure trove of creative possibilities and a celebration of fungal diversity.
The Mushroom Color Atlas invites us into a world where colour arises slowly, seasonally, and often unpredictably, mirroring the transient and often overlooked beauty of the fungi themselves. For anyone who has ever marveled at the intricate detail of a mushroom or the rich colours found in untouched nature, Beeler’s book is both a manual and a meditation.
Beeler’s writing bridges the artistic and the scientific, explaining the extraction processes with a balance of technical clarity and reverence for the craft. In an era where sustainability and mindfulness are no longer optional but essential, Beeler’s work stands out as a compelling, beautifully rendered manifesto. For those interested in sustainable art practices, this book is more than a resource—it’s a quiet call to reconnect with the earth’s lesser-known offerings, respecting the life cycles that make colour possible.
Sources
MacDonald, Lauren. In Pursuit of Color: From Fungi to Fossil Fuels: Uncovering the Origins of the World's Most Famous Dyes, 4 July 2023
Stevens, Christian, Bechtold, Thomas, Manian, Avinash, Pham, Tung. Handbook of Natural Colorants, 15 May 2023
Bessette, Arleen R.; Bessette, Alan E. Rainbow Beneath My Feet: A Mushroom Dyer's Field Guide, 2001
McCoy, Peter. Mycocultural Revolution: Changing the World with Mushrooms, Lichens, and Other Fungi (Good Life): Transforming Our World with Mushrooms, Lichens, and Other Fungi, 2016
Sheldrake, Merlin. Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures, 2020
C. Rice, Miriam, Mushrooms for Dyes, Paper, Pigments & Myco-Stix, 2008
D. Silva, Beverley. The mushroom revolution that's bringing change, 6th February 2024
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240205-the-mushroom-revolution-thats-bringing-change
North American Mycological Association. https://namyco.org/
