Sustainable and earth-friendly materials are very important to me. No matter what medium I use, I try to find the most natural and organic materials I can. I use plastic only when nothing else is available, and I also limit materials that are toxic. Following is a list of materials I use by medium.
Watercolor: natural high quality papers, which are often cotton rag. High quality watercolor paints that are cadmium free. Porcelain, glass, and metal trays for paint mixing and water sources. Brushes are the biggest challenge as I avoid animal products, which means I am using synthetic hair paintbrushes.
Paper Collage: papers from a variety of sources, including; upcycled mail and packaging, watercolor paper scraps, and some handmade papers. I paint/color the paper with watercolor paints mixed with a homemade natural flour and water mixture, which is also the basis of my collage glue.
Block Printing: Essdee Lino Blocks, which are linoleum blocks made from natural ingredients including linseed oil and wood flour, and are biodegradable. Cranfield Traditional Relief Inks, which is vegan and made with linseed oil…meets European ACMI standards for safety. They can be cleaned with vegetable oil instead of harsh solvents. I also use high end block printing papers, glass trays, wood handle carving tools, a glass baren, and rubber brayers.
Textile Art: Top quality new linen and cotton fabrics, Upcycled fabrics from old clothing, and upcylced cashmere and animal based fibers. Cotton and linen threads, and some upcycled yarns and yarn scraps.
Natur Folk dolls: Upcycled cashmere and wool fabrics from old sweaters, and new and upcycled linen and cotton fabrics. Cotton and linen threads and yarn. Stuffed with cashmere and wool scraps. Bendable arms and legs are created using aluminum wire.
