A personal revelation



Easter Fun by Bea Johnson

For the artist worrying about the impact of Zero Waste on art-making, I thought I would share a personal story.

Five years ago, my artwork was showing in seven galleries at once. I had an inventory, hundreds of frames, dozens of unpainted canvases, gallons of paint, countless brushes, and loads of miscellaneous art materials stored in the studio. I was proud of my clientele and the recognition that my work was getting. But I also remember being frustrated at my lack of creativity.

We then moved, and as you already know, we let go of much of our belongings. It included evaluating those items related to art-making. I donated some to schools and friends, shared some through Craigslist, and brought some to Scrap (a reuse shop for artists).

What I found going thru that process, was not only an incredible sense of relief but also a significant gain in creativity, thus transforming my art-making.

As I let go of potential/unfinished projects and seldomly used materials, I let go of frustrations and expectations: I realized how much the art supplies had weighed on me awaiting to be used in some way, awaiting to become something better, something artful, something amazing, something that would overcome my fears and would exceed my abilities.

When we then adopted the Zero Waste lifestyle, I discovered that creativity need not be limited to the canvas, that opportunities to create abound all around us...

Through finding solutions to the logistical problems encountered on a daily basis on our road to Zero Waste (from finding a way to forgo the metal ties on my bulk bags to freezing bread without plastic), I unconsciously fed an insatiable need to create. In the studio, I turned hundreds of butter wrappers into lotus flowers for a piece, Leo painted over a large painting (his artwork is in our living room, as shown in a previous post), and Max is currently transforming a damaged canvas. Our yard, compost, or recycling have become our new source of materials. And since they keep recurring and are always on hand, the kids and I do not need to collect or store them, but simply reach for them when/where needed.

Just as "the clothes do not make the man", I believe that the art supplies do not make the artist. It is not a wealth of supplies that gave Van Gogh's work power, but rather his vision and execution. After all, "creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun" (Mary Lou Cook), none of it depends on supply inventory.

Today, my studio is bare, and my creativity on fire. I have come to learn that "stuff" does not boost creativity, it is rather the lack thereof, that has made me more creative. I realize that art and art-making are highly personal - and that my path towards Zero Waste diverge from others' at times, but I must say: I owe it to Zero Waste to have sparked "a lost" creative fuse in me.

To rethink our society's wasteful ways, Zero Waste needs your creative minds too. "Sometimes you gotta create what you want to be a part of" (Geri Weitzman).