24 Blooms & 24 Recipes
August, 2024 with the Hamilton County Public Library East, Indiana, USA
Maria Schechter draws inspiration from the scribes of the High Middle Ages who created illuminated manuscripts. Their artistry and alchemical pigment recipes inspired her to continue her own research following an art and science residency with the Ayatana Biophilium Artists Research Residency in Canada. In 2022, Maria was awarded three international residencies with the Biophilium: “Symbiosis: Science School for Artists,” “Mycophilia: Mushroom School for Artists,” and “Earth Pigments/Wild Craft.”
Schechter’s work is deeply influenced by Hildegard of Bingen and the natural surroundings of her home in Germany. Hildegard—Christian mystic, the first female composer of the Western world, naturalist, physician, and polymath of the High Middle Ages—has long been a guiding figure in Maria’s creative journey. She first encountered Hildegard’s writings during her undergraduate studies at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. In a women’s studies course, Maria learned about Hildegard’s concept of “Viriditas,” the “greening power” of nature—a metaphor for both physical and spiritual vitality. This idea of divine greenness continues to inform Maria’s artistic philosophy and practice.
Her exhibition, 24 Blooms, celebrates the healing power of nature through 24 recipes inspired by the pigment traditions of medieval scribes. These artisans once crafted their palettes by transforming botanical materials into vivid dyes. Adopting similar methods of combining salts and metals, Schechter continues this legacy through a sustainable, eco-conscious lens. Through ongoing research at Indiana University’s Lilly Library, she has developed environmentally friendly pigment recipes using materials such as onion skins, black walnut hulls, and pomegranate rinds—tannin-rich mordants that help colors bind to paper or fabric. These natural recipes offer a healthier alternative to traditional metal- and salt-based pigments while achieving the same rich, luminous hues once found in illuminated manuscripts. The result is a palette as vibrant, enduring, and alive as the medieval works that inspire her—a testament to both history and the regenerative power of nature.
