Some things just rattle you. Many years ago, I stood at a desk, watching a famous watercolourist create magic in front of my eyes. What shook me was the fact that she used a FULL roll of toilet paper to remove excess water from her brush. I couldn't believe the waste; I didn't understand why someone capturing the beauty of nature wouldn't work to protect it rather than create more garbage in the name of art.
John Muir Laws the naturalist, artist and educator is the person who explained ways to respect the natural world as you paint, especially outside. In one of his videos, he mentioned using the ribbed tops of worn out socks to mop up drips of water from the brush. This was a revelation to me and a pile of them are here on my desk, awaiting the next painting session. They are washed and reused, with only faint shadows of paint as proof of what their "new" job is.
With the world on fire, it's my belief that we need a fourth "R". We have Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, but need to RETHINK what we use and how we use it.
My "failed" watercolours are chopped up, then pen & ink are added, to become gift tags and bookmarks.
With fabric, the "Selvage" edges are where the threads are bound together on the loom when fabric is woven. Many quilters cut them off because they can cause puckering on a quilt due to the different type of weave. It's now becoming a mini industry in itself: what to do with selvages. They are lovely, with tiny dots illustrating the dyes used on each fabric, with the name of the designer and the title of the design included. They are tough and don't fray. I gratefully accept selvages from fellow quilters and use them to make bags, potholders, even Christmas ornaments.
When I started my business and created my website, the main focus was on what the public would think about what I produced. Now, I have a chance to have a conversation about HOW I make things and what I use. The donations I receive of scraps and selvages give me a challenge to make new handmade items and keep fabric out of the landfill at the same time.
A recent "lightbulb moment" came when I was sewing "un paper towels". They are towels from an industrial laundry, sold when they are no longer fluffy enough for tourists here in the Rockies. I add a scrap of lovely fabric on the other side so they can be used as cleaning cloths. I am working on incorporating selvages on the front rather than one piece of fabric in hopes that my artist friends will use them to clean their brushes rather than using paper towels.
I am currently developing my selvage creations to sell on this website in order to continue this conversation about how each small action can make a difference. Perhaps this will inspire other creators to rethink the difference between waste and treasure.
Thank you for spending this time with me,
Lori xx