What are Paleo Paints?

The Paleo Paints

My husband once said my handmade paints reminded him of how the cave men made their paints for the cave drawings. And he was right! And so we called them Paleo Paints.

I make them by crushing rocks, clay, charred wood, and extract certain leaves to create pigments which are then added to a binder to make paint.

The type of binder used determines what kind of paint it is: gum Arabic for watercolors, linseed oil for oil paints, and egg yolks for tempera. Other binders can be used to serve the same purposes, but these are the three most people are familiar with.

I crush the rocks by hand with a mortar and pestle. But before that, I collect the rocks or herbs, or clay or char.

When I see a rock that looks like it’ll make good pigment, sometimes I’ll crush a part of it on a larger rock out in the field to see what I might expect from it.

You’ll often find me with bulging pockets because I’ve seen something wonderful that needed to be made into paint and didn’t go out prepared to carry more than a handful home.

The colors in my palettes are earthy, and rich with the essence of place. Each color carries with it a story that tells the origins of earth’s history for that particular spot where it lived.

By working with these materials to make paint, I feel a sense of collaboration and partnership – a harmony I have no other way to translate other than by making art.

I hope it brings the sacred tunes of ancient and ever-adapting life to your soul when you work with them, too.

Paleo Paint Workshops

Do you prefer hands-on learning? I offer workshops to share the information I’ve learned so far. Most are single day workshops, but some of the more advanced ones will meet more than once because the process can’t be finished in one day.

Where to Find my Paleo Paints?

They’re at the WildOzark online shop whenever any are available. Currently, I make sets of watercolors each year in January. I’m still not at a point where I can offer sets of oil paints yet, as those are more labor intensive and use more pigment.

Check my schedule to see when and where I’ll be. I haven’t been doing as many workshops or paint-making events but may resume in 2025.

Original Works?

Some of my originals are for sale. You can see them at shop.WildOzark.com. Any that are still on the easel are discounted until they’re ready to ship.

Prints, Stationery

I have a lot of derivative products like prints, stickers, note cards! Those are all at the the same link, and when I do events I bring some with me.

E-commerce options:

Wild Ozark shop

About The Artist

I live in northwest Arkansas with my husband on 160 acres far from paved highways. This gives me a front-seat ride with nature and is a huge influence on my life and work.

When I’m not painting or writing, I’m probably smashing rocks or out soaking up some nature and gathering photographs. I use the earth around me to create the paints for my works. My focus is on the Ozark pigments, but I will on some occasions use sources purchased, donated (people send me rocks!), or collected during travels. I love to capture the essence, the very soul of a place, with its earthy colors.

My favorite subjects are creatures of the air. Raptors fascinate me because they’re gorgeous, yet deadly. I believe I like to paint them not only because they’re challenging, but also because they’re a dynamic opposite of the earth from which my paints are made.

When I choose a subject I look for flow of movement, intended movement, or an expression in the eyes that I want to capture.

Additionally, since most of the colors I use are created from wild-crafted rocks here in the Ozarks, I look for subjects with colors I can represent with the earthy colors in my palette.

I’m self-taught and only use the paints I make for paintings. In the past, I used Prismacolor pencils for drawings and still pull them out from time to time. We have native clay that works wonderfully for sculptures, and sometimes I dig and clean clay to make things from, as well.