Lucy Mayes is an artist, pigment maker, and educator, working under her long-term project London Pigment.
Lucy specialises in the heritage of pigments and their practical applications, combining historical knowledge with contemporary, sustainable making.
Her craft is grounded in sustainable practice, using non-toxic raw materials and upcycled sources such as brick and roofing slate. This approach is exemplified in her Waste Stream Series, a body of work supported by Heritage Crafts, which explores the creative potential of discarded and overlooked materials.
In her recently published book, The Natural Pigment Handbook (David & Charles Publishing 2025) , Lucy shares a wealth of practical recipes for making low-impact art materials from scratch, alongside historical pigment research and artists’ reflections on colour and materiality.
For those wishing to learn the craft of pigment, paint, and ink making, Lucy runs both group and one-to-one workshops from her studio, as well as delivering courses at institutions such as the V&A and West Dean College. Please visit her website for further information and bookings.
If you’re intrigued by the heritage craft of pigment making, please do pop into her studio -Lucy will be delighted to show you her historical pigment collection and specialist machinery. If you are interested in using historical or sustainably hand-made colour in a project, Lucy would be keen to collaborate.
Please contact her at info@londonpigment.com
