Wild Roots Press: DIY Festival Artisan

Held at the Utah State Fairpark every August, the 17th Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival Presented By Harmons is Utah’s largest local-centric arts, music, science and technology festival. Over the three-day weekend, experience the best of our state’s creative culture with over 500 local artists and makers, three stages for music and dance performances, a youth entrepreneur area, a STEM building with hands-on exhibitions, dozens of food vendors and more. Kids of all ages and dogs are welcome — find more info and get tickets at craftlakecity.com!

Blythe Harmon, the printmaker behind Wild Roots Press, brings life to paper and plushes with their natural, surrealist ink impressions. They participate in each step of the printmaking process, drawing the designs, creating and carving the stamps and embossing the pieces. They use eco-friendly materials from the earth, like cotton and silk fabrics, copper and woodblock molds and water-based inks to embody the experiences they have had in nature.

In doing so, Harmon replicates the processes that organically take place in outside environments: the cycle of life and decay, of birth and rebirth. They are deeply inspired by the way they perceive the world we’ve been given, which comes through in their drawings as they replicate the feeling of standing in the mountains, far from any buildings. Harmon enjoys taking their border collie and blue heeler to the trails, foraging for edible mushrooms and plants and collecting intriguing wildlife and insects. Leaves, bugs and mushrooms appear often in their work, replicated with a hand-drawn, home-grown feel. Their motive is not to replicate the appearance of nature but to convey the essence of engaging with the earth.

Their mutel, jewel-toned colors result in a calming and grounding effect. In addition to creating with cardstock, they offer soft sculptures of algae, brine shrimp and eared grebes ready to be held and cuddled. Visit Harmon at the DIY Fest and on Instagram at @blythe.harmon. 

Read more about past DIY Festival artisans here:
Sin Eaters Lament: DIY Festival Artisan
Respectable Hoe Chainmail: DIY Festival Artisan