The Conscious Creative: A New Sustainability-Minded Artist Interview Series

We recently launched a Sustainability Initiative at Sorelle. If you missed that announcement, it's okay - you can read all about it here. And as part of our push to prioritize the environment in our small business operation, we're launching a new interview series, titled The Conscious Creative, which explores how some of our talented artists are doing the same in their own studios. 

In the same way that running a small business create a negative environmental impact through the production and disposal of waste, the need for national and global shipping, and more, artists can run into similar issues. The creation process requires materials and practices which may cause a good deal of harm to the planet when used extensively over time. Take, for example, a can of spray paint, which can be used in a multitude of ways, from traditional 2D paintings and 3D sculptures to outdoor murals and street art. According to Signature Filling Company, "One of the worst aerosol environment effects is air pollution... Other than that, once the pressurized gas or liquid is depleted and the can is empty, the metallic steel remains a hazardous waste to the environment."

While we know that the production of art has the potential to harm the planet, it also serves a great purpose for our cultural and individual well-being. So, we felt it was important to shine a spotlight on, and explore, the great thing about creativity - that it acts as fuel for solving problems (in this case, the problem of how artists and small businesses offset the negative environmental impact of their operation by getting creative). 

This interview series will be a combination of live discussions as well as written talks, and will dive in to the ways in which Sorelle artists approach a topic like sustainability. We'll talk to them about their studios, preferred media, and what they do (or don't do, which is often as important) in their professional and personal lives to make a difference. 

For the first Conscious Creative interview, we're chatting with Ned Martin about the sustainable practices he employs in his Brooklyn-based studio, including a discussion about the importance of his aluminum canvases and unique methods of mixing paint. 

To tune in to the live discussion, visit our Instagram profile this Thursday, October 14 at 12:00pm, and tap our profile picture to watch. If you can't make it, that's okay - all of series discussions will be available written to watch "on demand" from our blog. To stay most up-to-date on The Conscious Creative and our other blog series like Inside the Studio, Curator's Choice, and The Art of Hanging Art, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter (you can do so in the footer or on our homepage). 

Update: Due to connection issues, the Conscious Creative talk with Ned Martin on Instagram Live has been postponed to Thursday, October 21, at 2:00pm EST. Please follow the instructions listed above to watch at the updated time.