The artwork of Bernadette Puleo is currently displayed at the Franklin Square Public Library, introducing patrons to what Puleo describes as the “mysterious”and “magical” world of indigo.
The exhibit showcases 16 of Puleo’s pieces in the first floor meeting room, as well as various other projects placed in two display cases at the circulation desk in the lobby. The exhibit will remain at the library through the month of October.
Puleo, a local artist, indigo grower, dyer, educator and designer, worked as a professional graphic and textile designer until retiring in 2020. She has further delved into her artistry since.
Her journey with indigo began in 2002 when she came across an ad for indigo seeds in the back of Fiber Arts Magazine, she wrote in a short biography. It prompted her to further explore the use of Persicaria Tinctoria, or Japanese Indigo.
For over 20 years, Puleo has continued to use indigo dyed cloth to embed in pulp and create pulp paintings. She has also experimented with shibori techniques, she wrote, and created embroideries and watercolor paintings.
“It is the magical process in which the indigo pigment expresses itself on cloth through oxidation that captivated me,” Puleo wrote. “I consider myself a messenger of one of nature’s secrets.”
According to Puleo, her artwork is merely the beginning of her exploration into the “marvelous” pigment.
