"The Importance of Environmentally-Friendly 
​Studio Practices" 

Picture
Closeup of "No Rhyme Nor Reason" original acrylic on paper, artist Gwen Duda, © 2017.
It seems hypocritical to make art that is inspired by the immense beauty of our earth without having
respect for it. In my way to give back to the very thing that inspires my soul and feeds every cell in my body I practice eco-friendly studio practices to reduce and/or eliminate what harm my painting process
​may have on the environment and myself. 
Here are some of those practices:​
  • Using the least amount of water and throwing that into the garbage, or keeping it in a large container whereby the water evaporates and leaves an acrylic residue that remains in the container. In this way it does not get released into the water system. Acrylic paints are plastic and we have been made aware that plastics are a HUGE problem in our oceans, lakes, rivers and streams. So I put acrylic waste water in the garbage which is then taken to landfill.
  • I am working to streamline my artistic process to include more biodegradable and harm-reductive effects like working in watercolours, oil paints (without any volatiles), coloured pencil, inks, etc.
  • Re-using of paper towels to clean brushes and buckets.
  • Using old clothing scraps for brush and canvas cleaning.
  • Working in the studio, as much as possible in the daytime hours so as to reduce the amount of lighting needed.
  • Communicating with paint manufacturers and asking for greener products and/or how ecologically friendly they are. They won't develop greener products if artists don't ask for them. 
  • Partnering with environmentally-conscious businesses and product suppliers. 
  • Refusing to use volatiles in my painting process. I only use a volatile containing product (Damar varnish) when I have a finished oil painting that needs a final varnish. But I use no thinner, turpentine, turpenoid, what have you, in the painting and cleaning process whatsoever. My acrylic paintings are varnished with water based varnishes. Volatiles contain benzene and other nasty chemicals that cause harm to the ozone, watershed systems and cause blood cancers in humans. It's really nasty stuff and I have developed a painting style with oils in which I don't have to use any volatiles at all. Brushes are cleaned with soap and water. It all takes more time and effort but I think the earth is worth it, don't you?
  • Living and working a low carbon emitting, organic, 3 R's lifestyle.





















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