Celestial Mind – The Enigma of Elusive Blues and Greens

The sky and sea appear blue, yet they have no colour.

How do we create this illusion?

Let’s venture into the rarefied realm of the heavenly, uncovering the secrets behind nature’s most elusive colours, those vivid blues and greens. They rarely appear in nature except as semi-precious gemstones such as Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, and Azurite.

Artists have used smalt, a powdered blue glass, and pigments made from the waste liquids in refining silver to make blues and greens. However, they faced challenges in reliably making blue, as it was sensitive to temperature. These colours were also used in house decoration to show off the owner's wealth.

While cobalt was used to colour glass and ceramics for thousands of years,  it wasn't until the end of the 18th century that they could make a reliable blue pigment from it.

In 1826, Ultramarine Blue, which was the synthetic version of Lapis Lazuli, was introduced. It was located south of Windermere in the Lake District until 1985, and much of the production was used in laundry products.

Whether extracted from precious gemstones or synthesised through ancient alchemical practices, these pigments evoke the mystery and vastness of the cosmos. Today, we will experiment with these historic pigments and make our own bice and verditers.

To choose this alchemy experience (3), please go to the shop, select your date and book as these workshops fill quickly and are limited to a maximum of four spaces.