Jack and Ann Brockette Dye Encyclopedia

The Jack and Ann Brockette Dye Encyclopedia documents an extensive body of experimental dye research developed by artist and educator Jack Brockette between 2000 and 2003. Organized as a systematic study of color, dye processes, and fabric, the encyclopedia brings together recipes and instructional materials exploring relationships among color, value, and chemical dye processes. Created as a hands-on resource for investigating color and textile processes, the encyclopedia reflects Brockette’s sustained interest in experimentation, documentation, and the development of practical knowledge through making. The collection also represents a collaborative educational practice involving Brockette and fellow artist and arts educator Liz Axford.

The Brockette Dye Encyclopedia is housed physically in the Fleet Library and has been digitized through the Visual + Material Resources Center (VMRC) to support research and teaching. The digital collection preserves the encyclopedia’s individual recipe pages as well as its course curriculum and section indexes, making the material accessible for study while maintaining the structure of the original work. Higher-resolution scans and access to the physical encyclopedia can be requested through the VMRC.

The encyclopedia is organized into seven sections: Analogous Color Blends, Complimentary Color Blends, Double Dyes, Neutral Calibration, Neutral Value Gradation Part I, Neutral Value Gradation Part II, and Triple Dyes. Individual recipe sheets have been scanned as TIFF files and converted to single-page PDFs, with course curriculum and index pages compiled as multi-page PDFs. Each recipe is cataloged with metadata documenting its worksheet title and number, contributors, date, dye process, source of dyes, baggie contents, color categories, fabric type and weight, time in salt and activator solutions, and notes transcribed from the original recipes, including student annotations where present.