Sustainability in art & life

I have to confess I’m more of an experimenter than a ‘final piece’ kind of artist.   Working with nature, sowing seeds in the garden with the intent of providing colour and content for my art is definitely the way I like to work. I love nature, and I’m doing rather a lot of experimentation with Mother Gaia to see what’s possible for me to do that not only makes non-toxic biodegradeable art, but which can can be regenerative in the way that Gaia herself is. 

Our mother, earth ship, home, whatever your term for planet Earth is, will recover from the blow she’s been dealt in the name of economy, in my humble opinion.  Somehow, there doesn’t appear to be much in the way of ‘eco’ when it comes to the way most of our economy works, does there..?  

I heard that Dr Zach Bush recently reported that nature anticipates the harm that may come her way, and pre-creates solutions in readiness for that time.  It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s true…he’s been right on so many counts since I first came across him 5 years ago.      

Much of my own work is impermanent, which makes it less saleable than most. I’m working on that. A girl’s got to live, right?!

I’ve been invited to the Norwich Biodiversity & Regenerative Food festival to show my sketchbooks, share ideas and talk about how I consider my art to be sustainable, regenerative and permaculture-inspired and why this is important to me. I’d be delighted to see you there - 10-4 in Chapelfield gardens, Norwich on the 19th October.

art of impermanence - slow photographic chlorophyll process on hosta leaves

I don’t use any ‘fixers’ or mordants on images made from home-grown inks and dyes - the colours are pure, natural, organic and mostly homegrown, foraged or gratefully received from friends:

We are One - organic inks made with apple, honesty, nettle & grass picked from my garden