Before the age of synthetic pigments, artists and writers made their inks from the world around them - oak galls, walnuts, berries, rust, and plants whose properties had been discovered and refined over centuries. In Gold from Newton's Apple Tree, Nabil Ali explores this extraordinary tradition, uncovering the history, science and beauty of natural ink-making.
 
Nabil will explore the plant sources behind historical inks, for an event is a unique fusion of art history, ecology and craft. Whether you're an artist, a botanist, a historian or simply curious, this is a celebration of the deep human relationship between the natural world and the written word.
 
Format: Presentation
Themes: Nature Writing, Art, Festival of Nature
Access: Live Captioning
 
Nabil Ali Books: Gold from Newton's Apple Tree
Nabil Ali is a Visual Artist and author of ‘Gold From Newton’s Apple Tree’, specialising in organic paint systems incorporated in his paintings and installation art. He founded ‘Botanic Dyes’, an accessible open-source recipe index and dye catalogue for the Cambridge University Botanic Garden.
 
Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Suffolk Wildlife Trust is the nature charity for Suffolk – the only organisation wholly dedicated to protecting the county's wildlife and restoring wild landscapes.
 
Amy Falla
Amy is the Digital Content Officer for Suffolk Wildlife Trust, and co-producer of Young Artists in Suffolk, a youth-led platform centred around making art accessible to young people in the region. Amy’s socially engaged art practice explores using craft as a tool for connection and activism.