Lucy Mayes

Lucy is a pigment maker, artist, and researcher with a background in fine art from the University of Oxford and the Royal College of Art. She trained in pigment making under Keith Edwards and worked as a pigment specialist at L. Cornelissen & Son. Lucy develops her own recipes and works as a consultant, with teaching experience at institutions including the V&A, Tate, Somerset House, and Kew Gardens. She has delivered talks, consultations and commissions for clients such as Neptune Interiors, L’Oréal, Lisa Eldridge and Richard Wentworth.

Her work is held in the collections of Sheffield Museums and the Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro, where she has a permanent display on the craft of pigment making. Lucy is on the board of Pigments Revealed International, a not-for-profit dedicated to building a global pigment community. Her book ‘The Natural Pigment Handbook’ will be published by David and Charles Publishing in November 2025.

Describe your approach to teaching
My teaching is inclusive and informal, grounded in academic research and hands-on/embodied craft practice. I encourage collaboration, valuing participants’ backgrounds and insights to foster a rich, collective learning experience.

What inspires your own work?
Through my work, I aim to mediate between the raw materials used for colour and people, fostering empathy and a deeper sense of connection to both natural and urban environments through shared, hands-on experiences.