It’s ironic to say “new” when it’s really OLD.
Old as the hills, actually. Pigments made from rocks. Nothing is more basic than natural earth!
We’re taking a new approach to supplying art materials this year, moving towards long-term integrity. We hope you will join us on the journey!
Our first step is to offer exciting alternatives to cheaply-produced, globe-trotting, plastic-heavy supplies. (For a list of the reasons why, see the postscript.)
These alternative supplies will be durable, basic, locally-made, and degradable!
Practically speaking, this means we are pleased to be offering the following over the next year:
— Natural Earth Pigments / Paints (more local, durable and degradable)
— PrimaTek watercolours (more local, degradable)
— Unison Pastels (high-quality and basic)
— Beam Paints, watercolour and printing ink (local, degradable packaging, basic)
— St Armand papers (local, recycled fibres, degradable)
— switch to Ontario-made TriArt acrylic paints and mediums (locally-made)
— Apollon canvas, made near Montreal (more local)
— Briggs&Little wool yarn (more local, natural and degradable)
— Beeswax crayons and modelling clay (natural and degradable)
Second step: we will no longer invest in any new disposable marker lines (not local, not basic, and plastic), or cheap canvas (not local, wasteful). We will also notify our suppliers of our plans to choose less packaged, fair-trade goods.
Some will argue that we are making art more expensive, and for an elite audience. They might be right at first glance; but the fuller story to this is that our culture has become over-productive due to dependance on fossil fuels, and there is a need for more conscious restraint, resilience, and creative use of limited resources.
Future articles will feature repurposed surfaces, wholistic art activities for children, and mental health for artists.
Sincerely, Tim Dyck
PS: reasons for a sustainability plan.
- Our planet is drowning in plastics and other pollution
- Our planet is responding dramatically to our carbon emissions
- Our health as a species is suffering
- Business can lead the way in environmental work
- Art is healing, but it must be done in concert with nature
