Dorothy Beebee is a scientific illustrator and mushroom dyer, Miriam’s dear dear collaborator, who documented their mushroom dye research and illustrated Miriam’s books for over 40 years. Dorothy assisted Miriam in presenting mushroom dye workshops around the world. She also designed and maintained the original website for 15 years.
Dorothy was able to combine the best of both of her worlds of scientific illustration and natural dyes when she was commissioned to illustrate Miriam C. Rice’s book, Let’s Try Mushrooms for Color (Thresh Publications, Santa Rosa, 1974). Having experimented with plant and lichen dyes for 15 years previously, Dorothy immediately became impassioned with the rich and varied colors produced by fungi. This passion evolved into the illustrations of a second more detailed book by Miriam called Mushrooms for Color, (Mad River Press, Eureka CA 1980), and a deep and lasting friendship which grew as Dorothy continued working with Miriam over 40 years, documenting and illustrating the fungi Miriam explored in mushroom dyes, polypore paper, mushroom pigment for watercolors and crayons.
This decades long mushroom dye documentation project culminated into Miriam’s last book: Mushrooms for Dyes, Paper, Pigments & Myco-Stix™, a compendium of Miriam’s research with mushroom dye, pigment, and paper-making fungi over 40 years. The book, illustrated by Dorothy and co-published and edited by Susan Maresco, was first printed in December 2007, just in time of the 13th International Fungi & Fiber Symposium in January 2008 and Miriam Rice’s 90th birthday! The book is now in its 6th printing by the International Mushroom Dye Institute (IMDI).
Dorothy documented her adventures with Miriam and their decades-long friendship in both drawings of fungi and in articles. This tribute was published in the Fall 2010 just after Miriam’s passing, Myco-roaming with Miriam, published in the Turkey Red Journal, Fall 2010.
For over 40 years, Dorothy assisted Miriam in presenting mushroom dye workshops for mycological societies around the USA, at International Mushroom Dye Symposia, and designed and maintained the original website www.mushroomsforcolor.com for 15 years (now the official website for the IMDI and under the direction of Miriam’s daughter, Felicia Rice).
Though no longer lecturing or presenting mushroom dye workshops, Dorothy Beebee is participating in the making of several mushroom dye videos with her son Martin Beebee and daughter Myra Beebee.
Find these dye videos with Dorothy at www.MyraMadeColor.com:
How to Make a Natural Dye Using Lichens [13:05]
Natural Dyeing with Mushrooms: Omphalotus olivascens (Western Jack o’ Lantern) [12:02]
