Discovering New Colors with Cochineal Insects
An artist in Connecticut is using a unique technique to create art, utilizing dye from cochineal insects, native to Latin America, to discover new colors.
Mexican artist María Vargas led an art workshop at the La Grua Center in Stonington, where she taught participants how to use the dye from these tiny insects as a tool for artistic expression.
“My goal with this workshop was to teach about a natural material that comes from an insect and how it is very sensitive to different conditions,”
Vargas said, noting that this sensitivity brings out the most intense colors. The cochineal insects, also known as "grana cochinillas," are found on the nopal or prickly pear cactus in subtropical Central and South America.
Author's summary: Artist uses insect dye to create art.
- Cochineal insects are native to subtropical Central and South America.
- The insects are found on the nopal or prickly pear cactus.
- The dye from the insects is sensitive to different conditions, resulting in intense colors.