ECO-FRIENDLY TRANSITIONS
the beginnings
I had always been conscious of my effects on the environment. It was an easy thing for me to buy things in bulk with my glass containers and avoid plastic. Recycling and composting had always been a part of my lifestyle. But this lifestyle didn’t translate itself into my world of art. I came to a point where I knew that changes needed to be made for me to feel fully satisfied and at peace with my creations.
natural ink
painting
I gradually progressed from using canvases for my paintings to using recycled materials such as plywood, thick cardboard and wood that would otherwise have been disposed of. It was a positive step in the direction of doing my part as an artist who is willing and motivated to make the smallest negative impact on her environment as possible. It was also a way to push myself to the limits of my imagination, exploring and discovering different ways to adapt my techniques and mediums to my eco-friendly values.
My transition from canvas to wood panels brought me to question the use of acrylic paint. It felt more and more contradictory and dishonest to buy synthetic paint in plastic containers, while painting about the environment, and my love for it. I needed to realign my convictions with my art, and so I started exploring the world of natural pigments. Soon, I had fallen in love with accompanying my creations from beginning to end. Foraging the materials, making the ink, and eventually painting with it. The process was such a fulfilling and satisfying one, I knew inkmaking would become a permanent part of my artistic process.
the future
Eventually, I dream to create with primarily hand-made mediums and tools -ink, paint, paper, charcoal, paintbrushes, pens - as well as continuing to explore various artisanal arts such as basket-weaving, wood carving and embroidery.