Mindful Colors No. 2: Safflower / 홍화빛

Digital Zine — Individual Issue

The second issue of Mindful Colors is dedicated to Safflower / 홍화빛—a flower that holds a surprising spectrum of color within its petals, from yellow and warm coral to delicate pink and deep red.

Through photographs, research, personal reflections, and stories from my own studio and teaching practice, this 13-page digital zine explores safflower through Korean color, culture, and material traditions. The issue follows the transformation of honghwa (홍화), from its flowers and seeds to traditional dye extraction, omija (오미자), the color-preserving process of gaeogi (개오기), honghwa-tteok (홍화떡), traditional cosmetics, tea and folk health culture, and contemporary experiments with handmade paper.

Mindful Colors is not intended as a step-by-step dyeing manual. Instead, it is an invitation to experience natural color as living knowledge—connecting plants, place, cultural traditions, material practices, memory, and contemporary creative life.

Inside this issue: Korean safflower color traditions, the hidden red within honghwa petals, traditional and contemporary dye processes, omija and acidity, gaeogi and the idea of archiving color, honghwa-tteok, safflower in food and traditional health culture, yeonji (연지), and experiments with handmade paper and material sustainability.

13-page digital PDF English edition $15 — Individual Issue Digital download only. No physical item will be shipped.

About Mindful Colors

Mindful Colors is an ongoing digital publication from Indigo Shade Map, exploring natural colors through Korean culture, plants, traditional knowledge, craft, material experimentation, and contemporary creative practice.

This purchase is for one individual issue and does not include a Mindful Colors membership or subscription.

The Mindful Colors Founding Membership is currently closed to new members and is expected to reopen for new memberships in 2027.

Thank you for supporting Mindful Colors and Indigo Shade Map.