ART PROCESS: ANDY WARHOL PRESERVE PIGMENT COLLECTION

Rocks and pigments on my desk from the Andy Warhol Preserve in Montauk, New York

I’m proudly introducing the five rocks I sourced from the Andy Warhol Preserve in Montauk, NY.

In October 2024 I had the privilege of teaching a handmade watercolor plein air (outdoor) workshop through a grant provided by The Nature Conservancy, and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts ( @nature.ny & @warholfoundation )

With permission from @nature.ny I carefully selected these five rocks at the private preserve. I’m processing them into fine pigment to turn into paint this spring. The paints will be used as the color basis of a new art collection inspired by the coastal landscape of the Andy Warhol Preserve. This work mirrors my process during my upcoming two month artist residency I will be part of @caumsettfoundation later this summer.

The work is labor intensive - I am literally breaking rocks multiple times over. I will need to grind them, sift them, clean them, dry them, and more. Each time the color passes through my hands I connect more and more with it. This work is a privilege and I don’t take it lightly. I’m grateful to the wisdom of all the paint makers, pigment grinders, conservationists, artists, and indigenous practices that led the path for me to step into this alchemy.

The Andy Warhol Preserve, Montauk, New York