Intentional Practice

I’m an ethical, community-minded environmentalist. While it all starts at home, I can’t neglect how the choices I make in my community echo beyond the border of Nakusp. What is the impact of my practice?

Painting landscapes is my biggest source of income, and actively working to protect them is imperative to my artistic practice.

Non-Negotiables

I’m very intentional and selective about the materials I use. When deciding to buy supplies from a business, I look into their current processes, where things are sourced from, what they’re made of, their impact on the environment and the people who make their products. All of that matters. I focus on alignment and make sure that they share my values around ethics and sustainability.

I practice no-waste art solutions, and believe that everything can be reused or repurposed somehow. Painting over practice canvases and turning tubes, brushes and lids into sculptures are ways that I limit my waste.

Water brings me peace, and is a sacred element. We need clean water and I never allow my art to impact the water around me. In order to protect waterways, I try not to paint outside. If I do, I use natural materials only. I have an evaporation system for my waste water so no paint particles escape, and the residual paint particles are reused in future art projects. 

“Everybody, do your part.”

I can’t help but be frustrated at the systemic lack of effort to protect and conserve the nature that I paint around me. Capitalism reigns supreme, and the government tries to shift the blame to us. Reminding us to recycle, compost, drink from reusable straws and limit plastics. When in reality, big corporations do the most damage with little to no repercussions.

In 2021 my province experienced what a lack of ethical forest management can cause. Raging fires in the summer and catastrophic floods in the winter. People were evacuated from their homes and major transportation routes were destroyed. So many animals didn’t survive.

How long until it’s all gone?