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Heal: Reframing Painting With Biodesign

Kirsten Tingle

Profile picture of Kirsten Tingle

Kirsten Tingle is a Scottish artist currently based between London and New York City. Her latest body of work combines mycelium fabrication, place-based phytoremediation, and traditional oil painting techniques to reimagine painting practice in the time of climate crisis.

She has exhibited/performed at The Chan Gallery in LA; Pioneer Works, Vent, Chashama, and Phyliss Harriman Gallery in NYC; Biocalibrate Symposia, Broadworks, The Lethaby Gallery, and Safehouse in London; The Guidecca Satellite in Venice, Italy; The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland; and The Kyoto Arts Center in Japan.

Kirsten is an alum of the US-UK Fulbright and Sutton Trust US Program.

Kirsten Tingle is a Scottish artist currently based between London and New York City. Her latest ...

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Throughout Kirsten’s oil painting career she faced one desperate question: how can I keep making paintings when the materials are actively killing me? Unknown in the mainstream, and rarely spoken about in the painting world, are the lethal effects of traditional solvents on painters’ health.

Amongst old painting recipes Kirsten came across lavender essential oil. Frequently used in renaissance Italy as a solvent alongside turpentine it fell out of fashion due to its high cost. Researching lavender Kirsten discovered its ability as a phytoremediator - a type of plant used to clean up contamination. Lavender is a hyperaccumulator for lead making it a frequent candidate for heavy metal phytoremediation.

HEAL culminates with a series of paintings made with lavender essential oil solvent. The imagery of the paintings comes from microscopy images taken of lead contaminated lavender - showing that you can create something beautiful from the process of phytoremediation.

Final work

A large painting in purple and black of an x-ray lavender flower

HEAL.

This painting is made with 100% lavender essential oil solvent. The imagery was generated in collaboration with The Francis Crick Institute. 160cm x 180cm, 2025.

Lavender and paint brushes sit beside an oil painting palette, a mycelium brick, and lavender essential oil.

Heal System

The new phytoremediation process of painting involves: lavender essential oil; contaminated lavender; paint; mycelium; and paintings.

An oil painting of a microscopy image of lavender

In Amidst

This painting is made with 100% lavender essential oil solvent. The imagery was generated in collaboration with The Grow Lab at Central Saint Martins. A5, 2025.

  • a series of lavender microscopy paintings
  • a series of lavender microscopy paintings
  • An oil painting of a microscopy image of lavender

Research and process

  • lavender being x rayed
  • image from the project
  • image from the project
lavender being x rayed

Micro-CT imaging of Lavender

Lavender under the microscope

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Heal: Reframing Painting With Biodesign

Throughout Kirsten’s oil painting career she faced one desperate question: how can I keep making paintings when the materials are actively killing me? Unknown in the mainstream, and rarely spoken about in the painting world, are the lethal effects of traditional solvents on pa...

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