Material Ethics: Sustainable Studio

In the past, materials were one thing above all else for me: scarce. Art was a hobby and my budget was limited. I could rarely afford new paints, paper or canvases. And because that was the case, every sheet of paper and every tube of paint became something precious.

The limited number of sheets in a watercolour pad held me back. What if I messed it up?
This constant fear of doing something wrong and wasting my small supply was enormous. So I often didn't bother at all.

It took a while to overcome this block. For a time, I had to literally indulge in materials in order to lose my fear of them. Art consumes resources.
But these are finite. And sustainability is an important concern for me, one that also plays a role in my art – in terms of both content and process.

Today, I try to be mindful with my materials without falling back into that old rigidity. I want to be able to work, try things out, fail – without questioning every step. But I also don't want to pretend that there are no contradictions.

What Exactly is Waste?

If paper lies on the shelf for years for fear of being used ‘incorrectly,’ has it really been preserved?
Today, I think unused material is perhaps the greater waste.

Artistic expression requires a certain generosity. Not every picture has to be successful. The first stroke does not have to be perfect to be justified. Failure is part of the process. Sometimes it is only from what goes wrong that something unique emerges.

Nevertheless, creativity does not always have to go hand in hand with a battle of materials. It is not a question of all or nothing. And above all, it is not about quantity.
It is a balancing act. Blockages creep in so quickly once you start thinking about what is ‘allowed’. That is dangerous. For the process, for what could emerge if you just dare to do it.

But if you have even a spark of responsibility for our environment, you can't just live for the moment. I don't want to work wastefully. But I also don't want to censor myself. How do I resolve this dilemma for myself?

Material is not Neutral

Over time, I have made a few changes in my studio. At first, they were just small steps. A few basics to make the workflow in my studio a little more sustainable. But the more I think about the issue, the more I start to think in larger dimensions.

Perhaps it started when I discovered mineral paper for my art. I love paper. The feel, the sensuality! But paper production consumes vast amounts of water. And that's not the only problem. If the pulp is made from wood, where does it come from, are bleaching agents and chemicals used, how much energy is consumed?

I haven't completely switched my art to mineral paper. It's too specialised and not suitable for everything. But today I pay much more attention to how the paper I use is made. And also whether the companies behind it work in an environmentally conscious manner and promote sustainable innovations.

For example, there is paper made from apple residues (a waste product from apple juice production). Others have components made from algae, coffee, olives or cherry pits. I look for such materials and test them to see if they are suitable for my art – I will write a separate article about this soon.

I am still urgently looking for a replacement for acrylic paints. Microplastics really worry me. Although I do everything I can to ensure that as little as possible ends up in the sewage system, this is not a permanent solution. I had pinned my hopes on the plastic-free paints from Placrylic™ and had wanted to test them for a long time.

My dear colleague Annett Wagner had tested them and found them unsuitable for her own art. She was kind enough to give me the remaining paints. Unfortunately, I don't find them suitable either. Of course, it's my own fault that I put off testing them for almost a year. Nevertheless, the gel medium had become partially mouldy in the meantime.

Perhaps this can be remedied by transferring it to a more suitable storage container – and not leaving it standing around for a year (shame on me). But there were no instructions with the correct mixing ratio, and I generally didn't get on well with it. Maybe I'll test it again sometime. But I'm not really motivated to do so.

My experiments with gouache were not entirely successful either. I do like the colours, even though working with them was quite a challenge for me. But they are not a complete replacement for acrylic paints. That doesn't mean I'm giving up, though. I'm always on the lookout for more environmentally friendly alternatives, so if you have any ideas, please, please let me know!

Art is not Neutral

My art expresses what concerns me. In addition to personal topics such as mental health and being a woman, this also includes issues relating to environmental protection and species conservation.

Some works address these topics directly. They tell of the consequences of climate change or show the beauty of what is at stake.
I have made many of these works available to environmental initiatives for their public relations work. And part of the proceeds from other paintings went – and still goes – to organisations that campaign for endangered species or the protection of natural habitats.

Everyone can ask themselves what is important and what is feasible within their own sphere of influence. As an artist, I am fortunate to have many opportunities to make my contribution. And I am not alone in this.

Same Questions, Different Approaches

Sustainability is no longer a marginal issue. More and more artists are addressing it publicly, and some are basing their entire practice on it. Networks, awards and initiatives are emerging. Museums, art associations and funding programmes are also beginning to open up.

It is no longer just about content, but also about processes. About materials, manufacturing methods, transport routes, energy consumption. And about the question of how all this can be combined with one's own expression. There are as many approaches as there are artists who deal with the subject.

My colleague Annett Wagner, mentioned above, for example, mainly uses business cards, waste paper and plywood boards for her art. The resulting works of art depict ‘lost places’. Places that nature is reclaiming.

In Danielle Pettis' work, stones play a special role, inspiring her with their shapes and providing her with pigments. The transformative power of time is at the heart of her works.

The Canadian artist Sandra Veillette is inspired by her forays into nature, from which she also brings back the materials she uses to create wonderful works of art that aim to inspire people to appreciate the beauty of the world around us. Her playful figures are made from wood, roots, bones, mushrooms, wasp nests, feathers, etc.

Paths Finding

I like to draw inspiration from artists like these. They break new ground, ask questions, adapt their practices and question materials. This motivates me to constantly re-evaluate my own habits.

I am still a long way from where I want to be. But I continue to search for better solutions, for alternatives, for approaches that suit me. Sustainability is not a finished state. It remains a process.