Staying Sustainable As An Artist

The life of an artist can be messy, I mean really messy. After just one hour of painting, tubes of paint and random brushes are scattered across your workspace, bristles hard and caps missing. For years I have gone through way too many paintbrushes by forgetting to clean them, and not only does it hurt the environment, but it hurts my wallet too.

In this post i'll be sharing a few simple ways I try to stay eco-conscious when I practice my art, hopefully inspiring you to do the same!

#1: Taking Care of Your Supplies!

One of the most straightforward methods to minimize waste as an artist is to simply maintain your supplies properly. However, if you're like me, and are frequently forgetful or prone to procrastination, this can be quite challenging.

What has worked for me, in terms of painting at least, is to clean up as you go. I like keeping a rag and a jar of water with me so that I can put my brushes in the water instead of setting them down, so that they don't succumb to a paint-encrusted coffin. If you're working with fragile tools like needles, anything that can rust, or machines, make sure you know how to properly care for them and incorporate this into your creative time.

Another way to take care of your supplies is to take the time for a monthly or bimonthly deep clean of everything. Gather up all those old palettes, crusty brushes, rags, etc., and head to the sink to give them a new life. This can be an easy task or a hard task depending on what medium you are working with, so make sure you have some good tunes and maybe an extra hand to help you out. If you are really struggling to get your brushes back into functioning order, I recommend using a specific paintbrush-cleaning product or rubbing alcohol to help strip away the old grime. If you work with sewing machines or other mechanical tools, remember to take them to a professional once in a while to get them properly cleaned.

Overall, being mindful of how you treat your supplies is going to be a huge help in reducing waste of products and bankruptcy (because good art supplies are not cheap!). Setting aside time in your busy schedule to give some TLC to your poor tools can be a great way to keep your supplies fresh for years to come. Unfortunately, in our over-consuming society, it's easy to think that simply buying new, cheap supplies is easier than taking care of our old stuff, which really is a shame. Taking care of the things you love is both good for the environment and allows us to reflect on how easy it is to thrive with what we've got.

#2: Be Mindful of the Materials You Use

Art is wonderful because it is so diverse and comes in thousands of creative and inspiring forms. Unfortunately, though, this sometimes means we use materials that aren't so great for the environment. Things like acrylic and oil paints, polymer clay, jewelry supplies, some yarns, threads, fabrics, etc., are mainly or entirely plastic-based, which can pose threats to our already plastic-ridden earth. Don't get the wrong idea, though; I support every kind of art out there, no matter the medium. Art is forever, and that's good. Unfortunately, the waste and scraps produced by it are also forever. This is why it's so important to be aware of these materials and, in some cases, learn to switch them out for a more eco-friendly option.

No matter what type of art you enjoy, it is always important to understand the impact of your medium. Here is a list of a few supplies that are generally considered harmful to the environment through the waste they produce:

• Acrylic Paints

• Oil Paints

• Glues/Adhesives

• Styrofoam

• Polymer Clay

• Acrylic yarn

• Synthetic fabrics (nylon, polyester, acrylic, spandex)

Now, don't freak out if you use any or all of the above; you can still totally continue your art form! It's just a matter of being mindful of your waste. A lot of these mediums involve the use of microplastics and other harmful chemicals that end up in the ecosystem. Changing the way you dispose of your waste can really help with this! Instead of washing acrylic or oil paint down the sink, try covering it with saran wrap (that you reuse each time) to keep it fresh for a couple more days. In the case of acrylic, you can even keep it covered in the fridge to extend its life. Additionally, for textiles like yarn and fabrics, try saving the scraps (no matter the size!) to use for other projects that require stuffing or small details. There's lots of stuff out there that they can be used for; you can even combine your scrap collection to make large, useful pieces of material.

Though we can follow these principles and reduce some of our waste, its always good to keep an open mind and try mediums that are non-synthetic and eco-friendly. Here's a list of good materials when used properly:

• Watercolours

• Gouache

• Natural Clay

• Recycled Wood Pencils and Brushes

• Cellulose Based Textiles (cotton, hemp, lyocell, linen)

• Wool Yarn/Felt

• Coloured Pencils and Watercolour Pencils

• Recycled Paper

Being mindful of your material's impact when deciding what to use is very helpful, and when you can switch out something that won't greatly affect your art style—like going from regular to recycled paper—it can be a great help to the environment and to your own self-esteem. Now, I would never expect a hard-core oil or acrylic painter to suddenly switch to watercolour because they read this article; our mediums are sacred to us, and I get that 100%. Nevertheless, if we can find simple switches and compromises, like trying out cotton instead of acrylic yarn, for example, we could make a great difference.

No matter what material you use in your art, there is always a way to reduce the impact it has on our environment. Some amount of our materials can unfortunately end up in landfills, waterways, and in green spaces, no matter how hard we try. This is why it's so important to consider what kind of material you use, and how you use it, to better the environment around you.

#3: Incorporating Second-hand and Recycled Materials

Using materials that have had a life before you is a great way to reduce not only your waste but the overall waste of the world. This is personally my favorite and most used trick of all three, as it can spark some really creative ideas. There's no better feeling than finding your dream fabric at a thrift store for $5.99. You can also use items in your house or garbage and incorporate them into your artwork, which is cost-effective and reduces your own footprint.

Places such as thrift stores and charity shops can be like heaven for artists. Because most things are cheap, slightly used, and in lower quantities, you can get supplies that you don't feel bad experimenting with. I totally recommend heading to your local thrift store when you want to jump into a new hobby but aren't sure how long you'll commit to it. Here's a list of some art supplies to look for at the thrift store:

• Paintbrushes

• Sewing Patterns

• Sewing Supplies (thread, lace, elastic, etc.)

• Fabric!

• Jewellery

• Furniture or Items to Customize

• Miscellaneous art supplies

My personal favorite thing to look for at the thrift store is fabric, which can be anything from bedsheets to curtains to actual bolts of fabric! You can definitely get creative with second-hand fabric (just make sure you give it a wash first), and it can be a great inexpensive way to experiment as a beginner sewer. You can also find other ways to experiment, such as customizing furniture, reusing charms off jewelry, or up-cycling old clothes. Let your creativity run wild, and see the artistic potential in everything!

Another way to consume less is to use what you already have. For example, if you need something to structure your sculpture, try using materials you find lying around like cardboard, tin cans, used papers, or any kind of usable "trash." You can even reach out to your friends and family to collect a specific material like cardboard or soda cans, and help them reduce their footprint as well. Get creative with it and make a statement about recycling while you do it!

Finally, a great way to try out a new hobby or art style is by borrowing or renting out supplies from a friend or organization. Recently, I wanted to try looming, so I borrowed a couple of my friend's looming hoops to try it out. I enjoyed it, but I didn't feel the need to stick with it after I finished my project. In this case, borrowing saved me from spending money on something I would inevitably not continue, and therefore reduced my consumption overall.

Conclusions

• By taking care of our materials and tools, we can increase their lifespan and reduce our consumption overall.

• Understanding the effects your medium has on the environment can help us find creative solutions to reduce or eliminate our waste.

• Compromises can be made to exchange synthetic, harmful mediums with natural, harmless ones.

• Buying second-hand art supplies is a great way to reduce waste and avoid overconsumption, along with allowing you to experiment with new ideas in a safe way.

• Using recycled materials or materials from your own home reduces the waste entering landfills and can create some meaningful and creative pieces.

• Borrowing something is a great way to learn a new hobby in a way that avoids overconsumption and unnecessary waste.

I hope some of these ideas have inspired you to at least be more conscious of your waste as an artist, and to try out something new and eco-friendly!

-Ava the Wren