What is
Sustainable Art
Since taking my first steps into printmaking, I began noting some of the waste that goes into traditional printmaking. From the newsprint used for drying and pressing prints to the traditional style copper plates, printmaking, like most art mediums, takes its fair share of resources.
I hope to share some of the ways I focus on creating sustainable art, that is not just inspired by the environment and world we live in, but also creates a positive impact towards a cleaner, more sustainable world for our future.
A truly zero-waste lifestyle?
Mission Impossible?
The physicist in me screams that nothing is impossible. However, in true reality, shooting for a fully zero-waste lifestyle can seem like trying to get the Holy Grail of every environmentalist.
To be human is to take up space.
Which will inevitably change the balance of things within the space, as we allocate, stir up, and shape it
to fit ourselves in.
Physics would call this entropy.
Theorists would state that clearly, zero is more of a concept than a number.
True zero is, perhaps, the Holy Grail of every mathematician.
For me, zero-waste is more about a balance in what we take, what we create, and what we give back, such that our waste stays neutral rather than all waste being non-exisitent. ​
Perhaps it is not a true definition of a "zero-free" lifestyle, but it is a start towards mindful coexistence in the space I take in this world through the resources I use and the impact I make.
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(Photo: Ouray Falls, Colorado 2020)
What's the Use?
Re-usables I've adopted into my lifestyle
Reusables don't need to be anything crazy. It could be your favourite pair of jeans that you've had since college that you keep mending because they're irreplacable at this point. It's the water bottle that you've curated into a portable sticker art gallery. Or even the daily backpack or tote you carry to work or school.
For me, I've implemented some other reusables that have also saved me some money as well helping balance out the scales in for my efforts to reduce my waste.
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1. Reusables Period Pads
( I use the brand Lil' Helpers, but there are many other brands out there too)
While these may not be for everyone, I've found these to be honestly more comfortable than regular pads and I epecially love not having to pay luxury tax for single-use period products any longer.
2. Reusable Paper Towels/napkins**
For the crafty folks out there, you can easily make these at home with some spare flannel or linen and you can throw them in the wash with the rest of your sheets and linens.
3. Reusable Swiffer Pads
Honestly, these would ideally only be for those like me, who already had a swiffer lying around, and didn't want to throw it out to get a mop. You can also make these from some terry cloth and some velcro.
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** I still keep a roll of single-use paper towels on hand though, as most cat owners know the strugge of cleaning up cat vomit, hairballs, ect...
(Photo: Black Canyon Nat'l Park in Gunnison, Colorado 2020)
On the UpCycle!
Things I use and upcycle for my prints
Printing Plate Alternatives:
Really, anything waterproof could work, but my favourites later have been:
- CD's
- Juice cartons
- Plastic Produce cartons
For both the Juice cartons and plastic produce cartons, I try to utilize as much area as possible, however there is a little bit of waste that I end up recycling
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Currently, I am wrestling with the idea that these, while they are up-cycled into printing plates, are still technically single-use items.
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Recycled (Homemade) Paper
I've started to teach myself how to make paper, which has also led me to the path of making my own 'glue' from wheat starch (which I use to size my paper).
I love being able to utilize the wheat starch for not just paper making, but also as a more eco-friendly alternative to glue for my collages.
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Old Print Proofs
Life is messy and mistakes happen. Often times, I will try out a print that doesn't always work and when this happens, I will save the failed proof and reuse the paper on the other side. These are usually for magnets or collages, where the old print proof will be glued on somewhere and will not be seen.
(Photo: Ouray Falls, Colorado 2020)
Conservation Organizations
Here are the links and some information to the two organizations I hope to help support with proceeds from my art.
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As a kid who grew up glued to David Attenborough's many nature documentaries, I have always hope to be able to do my part in supporting the conservation efforts for a cleaner world and hope you check out the amazing work that these organizations have been doing!
