As a plant-based artist, a core principle in my practice is to use plant-based materials, yet finding such materials in the art world proved to be challenging when I first started looking. A few years ago, I discovered Natural Earth Paint eco-friendly art supplies, and it changed everything. More than just enabling me to 'walk my talk' technically, it actually came to shape and expand my art exploration and how and what I execute.

With Natural Earth Paint's non-toxic, sustainable, fully plant-based mediums, I started initially experimenting with a few of the paint powder pigments, handmixing them as oils and then as 'acryliks'. I find each pigment to be completely distinctive in how it behaves in the mixing with the medium - some require more of the medium, some less, some dry relatively quickly, others much slower. Even in my more seasoned mixing these days, I find I have natural rapport and intuitive touch of right ratios with the mixing of some pigments (Terre Verte, the micas) and others seem to resist flowing easily with me in the mixing (generally the reds).

From the early experimentation, I moved on to purchasing all of the powdered pigments available and mixing them as oils. Then it was on to trying the pre-mixed natural 'acryliks'. Then mixing my own gouache and gouache medium, then watercolors and most recently gesso.

As a visual artist initially known for rapid applications of very vivid manufactured acrylics (because I could not tolerate the smells and fumes associated with non-plant-based oils, especially in my first small home studio space), the commitment to fully non-toxic art-making with Natural Earth Paint forced me to slow down, brought a whole new dimension of intimacy, knowledge and relationship with my mediums and has actually shifted what I am interested in creating. Palette knife acrylics became too easy and less interesting to me. Working with Natural Earth Paint is more 'unknown' territory. I am not yet as facile with mixing and working with it, and that excites me. It creates more unexpected swerves into new territory and unexpected applications such as my current fascination with pouring paint directly onto large-scale paper and moving and mixing it on the surface. 

And to truly know that I am directly contributing to and standing for doing no harm to the natural environment with my creative practice is a fulfillment of my purpose and mission as a creative for good.