High Art, Low Waste
I’m making my artistic career more eco-friendly. So can you!
Caren Kinne’s Studio.
By Caren Kinne
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Editor: kat baus | Designer: Emma Geddes | Copy Editor: Katie Frankowicz | Communication/Support: Meg Chellew |
A lot of things have happened over the course of the past year. The pandemic found us picking up new hobbies and stepping away from activities we used to love. Maybe it was all the extra time at home, the social justice issues that (rightly) came to the forefront of every news story, or the uncertainty wrought by this novel virus and its impact on our health and economy — probably, it was the combination of all these things that made so many of us take a long look at our lifestyles.
I have been making art and crafts for as long as I can remember. I grew up as an only child and often entertained myself drawing and crafting. I took every art elective I could during high school and ultimately pursued an art degree. Naturally, the upheaval of the pandemic overflowed into my studio practice. First came a slump: I became tired and uninspired in the studio, lost whatever momentum I had had, and stopped painting for about 10 months. Eventually, though, that old creative bug bit back. I began craving more time to physically create with my hands and wanted to spend less time planning compositions and worrying about artistic intent. I dug out some craft supplies I had stashed away from a long-abandoned project, cut up an old dish towel-turned-paint rag, and made my first pair of upcycled earrings.
Fastidiously organized jewelry supplies.
I had made earrings about ten years earlier, as a spur-of-the-moment craft — one of those ideas you see on Pinterest, try, and then sort of forget about. But this time around it was just what I needed: a creative, hands-on process, a respite from the stress of 2020. Already an introvert prone to anxiety attacks, I had been struggling with the rapid pivot to working from home in my 9-to-5, adding “elementary school teacher’s aide” to my résumé, and the unknown of the pandemic itself. Making these upcycled earrings gave me a little bit of space to recharge. Plus, it felt great to use fabric, which I thought of at the time as a natural material. I kept making earrings. “Hey,” I thought, “maybe I’ll get some of that colorful, oven-bake clay, ’cause those clay earrings are really on trend right now.”
A finished pair of earrings.
Around this time, I stumbled upon the Clotheshorse podcast. I devoured episode after episode, and, boy, did I learn a lot! Here I was making my earrings and selling print-on-demand items featuring my paintings — not to mention my painting themselves (acrylic paint, or colored pencil coated with resin) — without ever thinking about the plastic composition of these supplies. As I listened to Episode 14: Leisure Suits, Chemistry & Hemp: Let’s Talk About Plastic, it clicked: Polyester is plastic, nylon is plastic, fleece is plastic, acrylic paint is plastic, resin is plastic, even the polymer clay I was thinking of experimenting with is plastic.
I had been trying to recycle as much as possible and swap our household products for more eco-friendly options, but it had never once crossed my mind that there were plastics in fabric or in the materials I used in my studio. It was an “Aha!” moment, but also a “Duh!” moment: Of course it’s all plastic.
Immediately after I listened to that episode, I went to the print-on-demand website that I use to sell items featuring my art and designs, and let’s just say I did not like what I found: poly-twill pillows, polyester tote bags. Even canvas art prints were made with polyester! I immediately took down all of the items that contained polyester and looked to find alternative options made with natural, biodegradable materials instead. I shifted to selling my tote bags through a different print-on-demand service that used more eco-friendly fabrics. I haven’t looked back since.
Creating earrings from reclaimed fabric.
As makers, we have a responsibility to be mindful of the items we create and put into our world. The materials we use matter! Of course, we should begin with a mindset of progress over perfection. I don't have it all figured out — not even close. But I can commit to taking small steps in a more eco-friendly direction and continue to educate myself and others. Here are some steps I have taken:
1) Understand that every item has an end-of-life. I know that I am not the next Michaelango or Frida. Do I hope that people will treasure my art for generations and treat my handmade earrings like heirlooms? Of course! But I am also realistic. Consider the end of your item’s life, even if you don’t want to think about what could happen to it. If a customer purchases something you made for a special event, is that item likely to be repurposed, bought by or given to someone secondhand, or dumped in a landfill? If it is thrown out, is it biodegradable?
2) Eliminate the use of new plastic as much as possible. This doesn’t mean destroying existing paintings made with resin or acrylic paint — that wouldn’t be sustainable either. But you can control what you use for anything new you produce. I still sell my old resin and acrylic pieces and continue to use the acrylic paints I already have, which is better for the environment than dumping or destroying them. But I’ve stopped buying acrylics and resin to use in new pieces and am shifting to working with wax- or oil-based colored pencils. Don’t forget to dispose of your plastics and chemicals properly when they’re no longer usable! It’s a slow process, but it will be worth it in the end.
3) Repurpose and upcycle. My earring collection makes old and scrap fabrics new and fresh again, so that they can be used rather than end up in a landfill. I save even the tiniest trimmings in a scrap jar and have been finding ideas on Pinterest for creative ways to use them in future crafts, from stuffing for soft sculpture to components of funky holiday ornaments
4) When possible, get materials from a secondhand supplier. I find a lot of materials at thrift stores and at secondhand shops that specialize in arts and crafts materials. I have also gotten excess materials, fabric scraps, and old household fabrics from friends, family, and crafters I met on social media.
5) Do your best to learn about your suppliers. Some of the items that I use — like the jewelry findings — are harder to source secondhand. This can be a slow process, and, even when using platforms like Etsy or buying from small businesses, you can’t always get a full picture of the supply chain. Again, aim for progress over perfection.
6) Donate your unwanted art and craft items if they are still usable. There are some great small businesses and nonprofits that collect these items and sell them to other makers. Make & Mend accepts donations of secondhand art and craft supplies and sells them online. I just recently cleaned out my studio, found some items I no longer needed, and packed up a box to mail to them!
7) Ship your items thoughtfully. When shipping items directly from my studio, I try to minimize my plastic consumption and packaging waste by shipping in reused boxes and compostable mailers.
I cannot state enough that this is a continuous adventure in learning and adjusting. Even the teeniest steps in the right direction are an amazing and impactful thing. You might be surprised by how easy some sustainability swaps are — I know I was! If you are interested in learning more about small, easy steps you can take to become more eco-friendly, please reach out to me.
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