Rooted in Color: Traditional Dyeing with the Ayat Project
By Cayman Bentley, PVF’s Social Media Manager
Last year, PVF granted more than 800 teacher resource grants. The reports that come back from Visiting Artist in the Classroom Grants are always some of our favorites due to the many artists and creators that are able to come into schools and help inspire kids with out-of-the-box ideas and projects. Whether the grant is used to hire a musician to help kids relate music to everyday learning, or hiring a textile artist to help students find different outlets of expression, or even bringing in a poet that will help students hone their literary and public speaking skills, the Visiting Artist grant is helping teachers bring life into their classrooms.
This spring, Longfellow Middle School’s garden transformed into an outdoor art studio and cultural classroom, thanks to a Visiting Artist Grant from Philanthropic Ventures Foundation. With the support of their Gardening & Cooking program, the school welcomed Jamie Cardenas of the Ayat Project—a Pilipinx culture bearer and artist who teaches traditional plant-based dyeing practices rooted in ancestral knowledge.
Throughout the day, Jamie led four hands-on workshops for more than 100 students across grades 6 through 8. Each session offered students a chance to explore the science, beauty, and cultural significance of natural dyes. The experience was grounded in curiosity and care, beginning with students arranging dried plants, seeds, and flowers onto cloth and preparing them for immersion.
Outdoors, the transformation unfolded. Large metal pots simmered with natural dye baths as students gathered around, eagerly lowering their bundles into the deep, steaming water. Shades of purple, red, and blue bloomed from the cloth—each piece as unique as the hands that made it.
More than just a craft, the workshop introduced students to an age-old process of working in harmony with the land. Jamie shared stories of how Indigenous and Pilipinx communities have long used plants to express identity, carry tradition, and pass down knowledge. Students were visibly engaged—asking questions, sharing their excitement, and admiring one another’s work
The $500 Visiting Artist in the Classroom Grant covered Jamie’s artist fee and travel from Sacramento. Longfellow Middle School provided additional materials and space to bring the full vision to life.
By day’s end, students walked away with more than just a dyed textile—they left with a deeper understanding of cultural practice, environmental respect, and creative possibility. One student summed it up best: “I didn’t know plants could make art like this.”
The Ayat Project brought color, tradition, and joy to Longfellow in a way that students—and staff—won’t soon forget.
