As an artist, I think about the environment and my personal impact on it.  Most of my art is the human figure, captured in a studio setting.  The only trash it creates is a used backdrop.  Paper backdrop really does not create much of an impact on the environment compared to plastics or even chemicals used in the past to develop film.  I wanted to try to reduce even the impact of that, so first I used the wasted paper in a compost bin to use in gardening and it was a success.  Actually, a few of the florals in my portfolio were grown in soil added by the compost.  On a side note, 90% of the florals in my portfolio I personally grow.

The next crazy idea I had was to take the paper backdrops and use it as pulp to make handmade paper.  This process was fun and the result was a different type of paper that could not be purchased in stores that offered a unique texture.  During the process, I found that other things could be added like leaves or lavender from the garden and so on.  The handmade paper has been a hit and all watercolors done on it has sold out.  If you want a sample of the paper, contact me.

The next thing that got my attention is the energy I use to power the equipment.  I started using solar power with a goal zero yeti 150 and a goal zero boulder 50 solar panel to charge my cameras.  It is not a big change but every little bit helps.  I will continue to build on this clean, renewable energy idea to expand it out to more and more parts of my art process and studio.

In the future, I plan on using biolite lighting  to light my studio and workshop and maybe Tesla panels and battery bank if funding permits.