Book of Earth - A Guide to Ochre, Pigment, and Raw Color

By Heidi Gustafson

Part anthropological study, part art book, and part how-to, Book of Earth immerses you in the world of ochre, a naturally occurring mineral used to make pigment. Each chapter delves into author Heidi Gustafson’s rare pigment archive and thoroughly explores natural color while challenging our notions of the inanimate world. The book includes practical advice and techniques for creating your own pigments and applying these skills in everyday life.

Called the “ochre whisperer” by American Craft, and noted as the “woman archiving the world’s ochre,” in the New York Times, her personal collection of more than 600 pigments from around the planet is a unique treasure, and her passion and field experience will captivate you from the first page to the last.

Abrams Books, 2023, hardcover, 8 x 10 7/8 inches, 224 pages.