Green Challenge

With Earth day upon us tomorrow I thought a good topic to discuss would be options for those creative types who want to be Green. You might want to check out knittingdaily.com where they have a green challenge and also feature a new knitting book called Knitting Green. While I haven't personally gone through it yet it's gotten some good reviews and contains several neat projects. Another book that I have recommended in this blog is the Alabama Stitch Book which is all about using old t-shirts (or organic cotton ones) to make something new. I have made 2 projects from this book and LOVE it.

Unfortunately in the world of fine art many of the materials we use are toxic, such as paints that contain cadmium, turpentine, bleach, etc... I for one have been bad for sanding pieces of pottery or mixing glaze without a mask on. Very bad idea! Breathing that dust can cause lung disease. Alternatives are becomming more available however, such as low odor turpentine, natural plant dyes, organic cotton, and the list goes on. I recently saw a new art book that gave recipes for making your own paint and other concoctions. It's called Green Guide for Artists. It sells on Amazon and is also carried by Chapters. I have seen sculptures made from recycled materials, and multi-media pieces which also have recycled elements.

If you know any other great Green art resources I'd love to hear about it.

Mentality

Mentality is the name of a Magazine published out of Nova Scotia that addresses the issues and needs and opinions of those who live with a mental illness. I had the chance to check it out the other day and was surprised to see a felted self portrait I had done of myself as part of a women and art exhibit last year that was up at the Dalhousie University Women's Centre. The issue I was looking at was spring 2009, and I had no idea that it had been published. Nice surprise for sure, and something more to add to my Curriculum Vitae. It was a partially completed felted image of the upper part of my face. I didn't finish it because I wanted to show that we are all somehow incomplete, always a work in progress. Who we are today will change by the time tomorrow comes. Although I have already shown it in two exhibits I am planning to put it with my exhibit in the Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival as a change from all of the nature scenes I have been felting and art quilting. Speaking of which, I finished another art quilt today with my new crayons. This one is from a picture I took while on a hike at the bird sanctuary with my two sons. We had some bird sees, and the chikadees would fly down and eat the seeds out of our hands. I took a picture of one in my son Justin's hand, and this is the image I art quilted. The rest pf my day today is going to be spent reading art history, knitting, and baking some pies (like I need to be eating pies!).

OK, so I know this is an artist blog, but I can't help telling you about my latest "thing". Those who know me know I am a total greening freak, much to the dismay of my family. Suddenly I have been inspired to take it up a notch, and am trying to eat only local food for a week, organic and fair trade when possible. I have also been growing some of my own food this year, and hope to double my garden next year. I've attached a sampling of what I picked today, and I can't wait for the tomatoes to start. Oh, and by the way, everything I make has to be made from scratch. This could be a long week. I guess gardening is kind of artistic and creative, and I admit I find digging around in the dirt to be peaceful, much like I find working on my artwork. You are also creating something from a tiny seed, much like you take an idea and turn it into something artistic. After writing this, I realize I have done an art post today.