The Unknown Continent

Recent inktests from the kitchen lab of the Toronto Ink Company

“And now we have reached the unknown continent, seed of superior substances implanted in the terrestrial crust, protected from curious and covetous gazes by the curvature of space-- just as a drop of mercury, by its surface tension, remains impenetrable to the finger that tries to touch its center. By our calculations--thinking of nothing else--by our desires--abandoning all other hope--by our efforts--renouncing all comfort--we had forcibly entered this new world. So it seemed to us. But later we knew that if we had been able to reach the foot of Mount Analogue, it was because the invisible doors of this invisible country had been open to us by those who guard them. The cock crowing in the milk of dawn believes that his song makes the sun rise ; the child howling in a closed room thinks his cries make the door open. But the sun and the mother follow courses set by the laws of their beings. Those who see us even if we cannot see ourselves, answer our puerile calculations, our fickle desires, our small and awkward efforts with a generous welcome.” Rene Dumal

Ink test: french laundry blueing square disolved in handmade prussian blue

INKTEST: fermented pokeberry skin, lambsquarters purple blight, magnetic dust

"The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."

Marcel Proust

INKTEST saffron, copper, laundry bluing, stump remover, beet juice

Magnetic fields along the spiral arms of Galaxy M77 (NASA/SOFIA JPL Caltech/Roma Tre University )

INKTEST: process shot: indigo bath with french blue dust

Mexican indigo (gift of Profirio Gutierrez family)

“Beauty will be convulsive or not at all.”

―André Breton

INKTEST: Copper oxide, cactus flower, nettle, Magnesium sulfate

Lamp black on tree gum on Jamaica Flower wash

SKETCHBOOK indigo and rust test