Featuring Tania Torres, a local Orlando artist who is using her art to communicate about our changing climate

This spring the Central Florida Climate Artists had an art show at Osceola Arts titled “Earth’s Voice: An Environmental Art Exhibit.” We are very grateful to Osceola Arts and their gallerist Marilyn Cortes Lovato for hosting this wonderful show. Due to a personal illness in the family, I was not able to promote this event as I should have, so now, better late than ever I am featuring some of the artists that participated on the art show.

Today, I interview Tania Torres, a local Orlando artist, originally from my native Puerto Rico, who is using her art to communicate about our changing climate.

Away from the Wildfire by Tania Torres (oil painting 24”x24”)

Below is my interview with her:

Michelle: I have always been drawn to the highly textured and impressionistic style in your pieces. Tell us more about your style and how you’ve arrived at it over the years.

Tania: I been painting over ten years; it all started with trying to make extra income while I was studying and to be able to provide for my daughter. I had an opportunity to be an exhibition “Culture through the Eyes” at Ana G Mendez University in 2015. I was a student at that time. The exhibition was an opportunity to grow where I met other artists and learned more about art. That is where my curiosity began, but now art is part of me every day. My style began developing when I saw my art as movements, and I identified with impressionist and expressionism as my muses. I love to add texture in some of my paintings. For me, it adds a feeling for how I feel in that moment with my painting.

Michelle: You participated in the Earth’s Voice environmental art show at Osceola Arts with an amazing piece: “Away from the fire” – oil on canvas 24”x24” (shown below). Please tell us more about your inspiration for this piece.

Tania: I participated in “Earth’s Voice: An environmental art show.” I love that my painting “Away from the fire” shown in the exhibit brings awareness. We are passionate about making a difference in our communities "On average, Florida experiences the second-highest number of wildfires in the nation." according to WUSF news. I’m my painting I felt moved by the California wildfire that every year get worse. I can’t even imagine how the people feel about it and how they have to leave their home as fast they can and start over. Firefighters feel overwhelmed trying to stop the wildfires, and some of them ended with severe PTSD. Some wildfire are made by human and other the global warming.

Michelle: How do you see your work evolving in the future? Do you have any plans to continue exploring these themes in the future? Any words for aspiring artists?

Tania: I see myself in the future continuing to paint landscapes. Nature, that’s where my heart goes to. If I have to be a voice in the future, count me in. I will say to artists to keep creating this is our legacy. I am so thankful to be able to be part of this art show.

Wonderful art exhibition featuring environmental and recycled art pieces

Last week I had the pleasure of accompanying my artist friend, Fania Pena, to the Orlando Museum of Art’s 1st Thursdays art show titled “The Influence of Fashion.” Fania had three amazing pieces with subtle environmental themes in the show (see them below). I was happy to see that so many artist incorporated recycled materials in to their pieces. So much creativity while also reusing materials! Very impressed by the quality of the work!

Here are some of my favorite pieces from that show. The first three are Fania’s. The 4th uses recycled plastic bags and tequila tags and won “People’s Choice.” The 5th one won “Best in Show.” Congratulations to the artist for an amazing show!

Recycled Art Exhibition 2022 at the Casselberry Art House

A wonderful recycled art exhibit just concluded yesterday, April 29th 2022, at the Casselberry Art House in the City of Casselberry in Florida. The closing of the art show coincided with the City of Casselberry’s Earth Fest which I attended and where I shared a tent with a fellow artist. I took some pictures of the exhibit which I am happy to share below. The artwork was magnificent and very inspirational and creative. Makes me want to explore recycled art some more. Unfortunately, I did not get to meet the artists, but would love to.

Enjoy the creative artwork below!

Featuring Ronda Richley, a prolific Central Florida artist who loves trees and incorporates recycled materials in her art

Hi everyone! I plan to feature artists who incorporate recycled materials as part of their work. Here is my first interview as part of this series. Today’s artist is Ronda Richley, a prolific Central Florida artist who loves trees and incorporates recycled materials into her work which often features trees. Here is my interview with Ronda.

Central Florida artist Ronda Richley

Michelle: I have admired the richness of your artwork for quite some time. I have seen the breadth of your artistic talents as showcased on your website https://www.rondarichley.com/, from 2D pieces to more sculptural pieces particularly of trees featuring recycled materials, and even ceramics. Lots of inspiration to see there. There is lots of color, movement, lots of textural elements which give even your 2D pieces a sculptural quality. Tell us more about your style and how you’ve arrived at it over the years.

Ronda: I have been doing art for decades. In the beginning, I was a graphic designer and then started illustrating for my ad agency, First Impressions Advertising and Art. As time went on, I sold the business and moved to Los Angeles, where I started doing photo real illustrations in the Victorian style for various gift-ware products. I got tired of doing such tight art and wanted to loosen up, so I went back to grad school for my Masters. There, I loosened up so much that my work resembled Pollock’s but was done on ripped and re-stretched canvas with openings through to a backing. Eventually, I combined my realism with the energy of abstract work, and now (mostly) do highly textured, energetic, knife strokes on canvas. As I said, mostly. However, sometimes you will find me drifting into the realism but always with a twist—either dripping paint to create it or applying texture in spots.

Michelle: I see that you incorporate recycled materials into some of your 2D and 3D pieces. In this day and age when there is so much environmental degradation occurring at an ever-faster pace, it is admirable when artists try to reduce their environmental footprint by incorporating recycled materials into their artwork. The pieces also become educational and inspirational materials for artists and the public at large. Tell us more about your use of recycled materials in your pieces.

Ronda: I have always been looking for found objects to repurpose into my work and I never throw anything away! And have a love for mixed media for this reason. I have used (re-used!) papers, canvas, fabric, copper, wood, sawdust, plastic bottles, rubber tubing, cardboard, ropes, twines, and even paint from my palette. As I am painting, some thought will come to mind that “I wonder if I have…” or “what will make that texture…” and I will find it in one of my bins and use it in my work.

Michelle: Any tips on how artists can reduce the environmental burden from their artwork?

Ronda: How can you reduce the burden? Just don’t throw it out! There is a reason you have it. Ideas for you:

A.     For recycling canvas:

1. Turn it upside down and repaint over it.

2. Cut it from the stretcher bars and cut it into strips and weave it or glue it onto something.

3. Use the backside of a stretched canvas for an area to do ceramics.

B.     For recycling paint from your palette:

1. If acrylic, use a clear or white plastic lid for your palette (you use the bin it comes with for storing your brushes or paints!). When the paint has dried, peel it off the plastic, and use it in your mixed media—check out the back side of it as it is wonderful!

2. If oil, save the paper palette sheet and use it in a collage—tear it, cut it, whatever suits your fancy!

C.      Plastic bottles, tubing etc:

1. Build your canvas around it for three dimensional or bas relief work.

2. Build your ceramics using it as a form.

Basically, just about anything can become a part of your work, and you never know…it may lead you into a different medium.

Michelle: Many of your pieces feature trees some of which have anthropomorphic characteristics. Tell us more about your inspiration for these pieces and whether there are hidden meanings behind them.

Ronda: The inspiration for my trees is basically my love for them. They are special and give us so very much, and most people don’t even notice them, respect them, nor look at them as living entities. They ARE living entities and need to be seen that way and protected. The figures in my trees are to personify them, giving the viewer a new look at trees, and hopefully, seeing them as a life form. Many people after seeing my art, has said they will never look at a tree the same way again.

Each of my trees tells a story. The meanings are sometimes obscure but many times obvious. “The Seven Deadly Sins” is about trees being punished for human folly.  “Only the Spirits Remain” is about the Senator in Big Tree Park being burnt to the ground by a human.  “Orlando’s First Lady” is the tree in Constitution Green that we saved from developers, and if you look closely at her you can find her spirit. I could go on and on as each and every one of my tree paintings has a story to be told. You need to explore this for yourself, as I only paint part of the story, and you need to finish it. 

Michelle: Have you ever taken formal art classes or are you self-taught? Any words of inspiration for aspiring artists?

Ronda: I began my studies at the University of Cincinnati where I received my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts, and later received my Master of Studio Arts at California State University. I have also taken a few workshops so continue learning as new media strike my fancy. I have taught at the College and University Levels which I miss doing. Teaching keeps you fresh and involved in the art world. Going to art class would also do the same. Students feed their creativity off each other. There are a lot of self-taught artists out there and many are quite talented. Taking classes is a way of expanding their knowledge and developing more skills. I strongly urge you to go to workshops of an artist you admire, take some classes or go after that degree. Always strive to improve. If you just take one thing away from a class or a workshop, it makes that time well spent.

Michelle: For me art is a meditation, at times, a way to calm my mind from every day stresses. Other times, it is a way to express my emotions, my fears, happiness, anger.  What is your motivation for doing art? Who or what inspires you?

Ronda: As far as my motivation for doing art, it is different as art has been my livelihood for nearly fifty years. I consider myself a process artist in that it is about doing any type of art. I play my music, and connect with the materials I am currently using. It is about making the art and it makes me happy. And that all varies depending upon my mood or if something has affected me and I find a way to express it.

Michelle: Any final words? Do you know of any other Florida or national artists incorporating recycled materials into their artwork? If so, could you share their contact information? (Their names and contact information will not be published on the blog, it is just leads for future blog posts).

Ronda: I follow Thomas Dambo from Copenhagen who creates huge trolls and hides them in the woods. He uses recycled skids for his work. https://thomasdambo.com/ and he has facebook, Instagram etc. He is my favorite artist, and if I were younger I would join his build team when he does work in the USA.

Also look at Eva Jospin https://mymodernmet.com/eva-jospin-cardboard-forests/ as she is amazing!

Cadmium paints and their health and environmental impacts

Cadmium was discovered as an element the early 19th century in contaminated zinc oxide samples. The discovery is widely attributed to German chemist Friedrich Stromeyer, although others were involved in its discovery. Cadmium pigments range in color from yellow-green, yellow, orange and red. Many historical red pigments were problematic due being fugitive, that is, fade under light Cadmium pigments revolutionized art by being much more lightfast and having a much higher tinting strength and opacity than existing pigments such as mercury sulfide (vermilion). However, they are sensitive to air exposure and their application in murals and frecos is more limited. Some watercolor artists also do not like cadmiums due to their opacity.

Despite it being ubiquitous in artist paints in the 19th and 20th centuries, cadmium is toxic and exposure is thought to increase the risk for cancer, kidney and liver problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers cadmium as a probable human carcinogen. Inhalation can also cause respiratory problems. However, the major risks are associated with working with large quantities of cadmium in industrial settings (used in coatings, plating, plastics manufacturing, battery manufacturing and recycling, etc.) and artists paints with cadmium are generally not considered dangerous (also see here). However, the precautionary principle should always apply and artists are encouraged to use common sense and protect themselves from ingestion and inhalation. Cadmium alternatives have also been developed. Liquitex for example has developed cadmium-free acrylic paints that imitate the original cadmium pigments in terms of lightfastness, opacity and tinting strength and to me they are indistinguishable to the originals. Their development was spurred by a proposed ban on cadmium pigments by the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) in 2014 over concerns about its presence in the food chain as a result of sewage sludge applications over farmlands and potential adverse effects on bone health and cancer. In other words, it was suggested that artists washing contaminated materials down the drain contributed to this problem. After opposition from artists and arguments that nickel-cadmium batteries were the main cause of the problem, the ECHA abandoned the proposed ban. However, cadmiums were banned in jewelry and plastics.

Over time, the cadmium pigments have been replaced by azo pigments, but some of these can be less lightfast than the cadmiums. In addition, synthetic pigments such as the quinacridone pigments are intense and lightfast alternatives which were developed for use in the automotive industry and industrial coatings, but are now used by many fine art paint manufacturers. It is good to be an artist in the 21st century with so many safer, lightfast and potent alternatives available. Although I confess it can get overwhelming and paralyzing to take the time to do the research and choose the best (and safest) pigment alternatives out there. I am not here to limit or police how artists conduct their art, just to motivate artists to take some necessary precautions to protect their health and that of the environment, which eventually comes to affect us all.

According to the U.S. EPA, most of the cadmium used in the U.S. today is a byproduct of smelting of zinc and copper ores. Cadmium can become airborne when fossil fuels and municipal wastes are burned. Mining can have devastating impacts beyond the most evident scarred landscapes. It can affect local biodiversity, soil, air, water and food quality, and even human rights. Although artists demand for cadmium pigments is relatively minimal compared to other uses, we have a responsibility when it comes to its fate and transport in the environment. Here are some things that artists can do to minimize the potential adverse health and environmental impacts from use of cadmiums and other toxic pigments:

• Do not wash your paintbrushes, rags and contaminated water down the drain. Try to get as much pigment off your brushes by cleaning them on a rag first, then clean them in a big bucket of water, let the solids settle for a few days. Then you can carefully throw the cleaner water at the top of the bucket down the drain or even better, use a coffee filter to minimize the smaller particles going down the drain. You can then let any remaining water evaporate from the bucket and after a few days remove the solids and take them to your local landfill for proper disposal.

• Do not put brushes near your mouth when painting.

• Use alternatives to cadmium pigments such as quinacridones, azos, etc.

• Use extra protective equipment such as gloves and respirators when dealing with toxic materials.

Please leave any other tips below and thank you for reading!

Findings to extend your art supplies and save some bucks

Today I want to highlight some gadgets I have found to extend my art supplies and save some bucks in the end. First is a tube wringer! I am not sure why I have waited so long to get one. I just got mine a few months ago off of Amazon but you can also find them at art supply stores like Dick Blick (see here). I use it not only for my paint tubes but also for toothpaste, gel tubes, etc. I’ve always been frugal and in the past used to just cut open the paint tubes to get even the last drop out, but this was a bit dangerous when it came to metal tubes and I had to use the leftovers right away. Tube wringers are much more convenient.

Another great gadgets are pencil extenders like this one or this one. With these you can use the last inch of your pencils without having your hands cramp.

Another idea for pastel painters is to save all the leftover pastel dust that accumulates on your easel, add some small bits of pastels, and follow these instructions to create new neutral-colored pastel sticks. Of course always wear a mask and gloves when dealing with pastel dust.

Other tips include taking care of your art supplies:

• Clean your paintbrushes right after each painting session to increase their longevity.

• Don’t leave paint brushes dipped in water for too long or the moisture will loosen the glue that binds the hairs to the ferrule.

• This one should be obvious, but make sure you close your paint tubes well, especially for acrylics and oils.

• If you find that your watercolor our gouache tubes have dried out, carefully open up the tubes and take the dry pigment out unto a palette. It just takes a bit of water to reactivate.

• Don’t be stingy with your paint but also do not put out more paint than you will be using in a single session.

• For acrylics, get you can get a container with a lid and put a wet paper towel inside to keep the paints moist from session to session. I have a Sta-wet palette for that, but an airtight container from the dollar store works just as well.

• Use leftover paint from a painting session to tone your next canvas. The only warning I provide here is not to do this if you want to paint in bright transparent colors for that next painting. For example when doing bright florals, starting with a grey background will result in muted flower colors unless you use very thick paint.

Do you have any other tips for how to extend the life of your art supplies? Please write them in the comments.

Eco-friendly mural art

Hi folks! Today I am writing about how to make your mural art more eco-friendly. I am not a muralist by any means, but it is something I have some interest in pursuing at some point. Of course, I would want my mural practice to be as green and sustainable as possible. If you are a mural artist, please leave your comments and recommendations below.

Of course, the theme of the art itself can be related to the climate crisis, environmental issues, and sustainability. It’s a wonderful thing to raise awareness through our art, but we as artists also have a responsibility of setting the example and protecting our environment and health!

I found some great recommendations from this mural company, Graffiti Arts, which is based in NY and LA. They recommend using water-based spray paints from brands like Montana colors and Sugar Artists Acrylics, instead of oil-based spray paints, which can be more toxic. Graffiti Arts also mentions reverse graffiti and moss graffiti as other eco-friendly options. However, these are generally not as long-lasting as murals made with paints. In reverse graffiti, one uses stencils with a pressure washer to remove dirt and grime from walls, leaving lighter areas exposed. The artwork is made by the contrast of light and dark areas. This website has some great examples of reverse graffiti; it is a great alternative for short-term advertising campaigns. Look at the scale of this one on a dam in Poland! Can you believe it is 4,900 square meters!? Here are some beautiful examples of moss graffiti.

As described here, there are special pigments that can even purify the air of noxious gases and convert them into less harmful substances. This mural is part of the Converse City Forests initiative. See more about it here! WOAH! This mural in south LA was made of a special solar reflective coating and reduces surface temperatures by up to 30 percent. The use of this special coating called Decocoat DP-200 IR Solar Reflective could contribute LEED credits under certain categories.

Here are some additional tips:

• Consider asking your neighbors and family members if they have any unused paints laying around that they have no plans on using and would give to you. FREE paint is an awesome thing!

• Especially for indoor work, it is important to use low or no VOC paints. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds which are gasses that come off paint as they dry. VOCs can cause a host of health problems as described here, so it is important to minimize them.

• Please do not throw paint down either your home or business drains or stomwater drains. Before disposing of paint, check your local municipality regulations. In some places, you can dispose of some types of paints yourself and in other places certain or all kinds of paints are considered hazardous waste and must be handled appropriately.

• Instead of throwing out unused paint, consider donating it to local schools or a local community organization. Read here for more tips on where to donate or how to dispose of unused paint.

• Use varnishes and solvents in well-ventilated areas, away from wildlife, pets and people. Wear a respirator to protect yourself and gloves (but first make sure the material of the gloves will not react with the chemical you are using).

• This website has information on how to dispose of paint thinners.

Earth's Voice: An Environmental Art Exhibition at the Orlando Science Center

Check it out folks! Our environmental exhibit at the Orlando Science Center’s Fusion STEAM Gallery opens tomorrow May 21st at 10 AM and will be up until August 22nd.

Earth’s Voice: An Environmental Art Exhibition

With both fine art and performances related to environmental and climate change themes

Brought to you by the Central Florida Climate Artists and The Cleo Institute

I am in awe with the quality of the work and variety of themes and perspectives!

Thanks so much to Sydney Katz at OSC for allowing us to have this show and for the beautiful installation. Thanks to Laura Betts from The Cleo Institute and Katie De Bari for helping organize it. Thanks to all the great artists for your contributions!

Here is a promotional article from Orlando at Play.

Check out page 24 of the Orlando Science Center Scope Magazine for an article on our environmental art show at their Fusion STEAM Gallery.

The exhibit will be up for three months. Get your OSC tickets to go see it in person at:

www.osc.org

Note from the OSC website:

“To manage capacity, timed entry tickets will need to be purchased online at osc.org. There will be a limited number of tickets available each hour.”

Check out some wonderful photos of the exhibit from Sydney Katz and three photos showing my contributions to the art show.

Eco-friendly art papers

In my past blog post on “How to make your art practice more green and sustainable” , I mentioned some ideas for art supports such as using existing cardboard, posterboard and fabrics. I confess this is an area that I had not given too much thought to in my art practice. So, I started doing some research and found out that some of the most well-known manufacturers of art papers have products that feature recycled fibers in them. For example, Strathmore uses recycled paper in their Recycled and Artagain pads. Some products contain from 30-75% post-consumer fiber content and others use cotton, hemp or even bamboo fibers. Their Toned Tan, Toned Blue, and Toned Grey sketch and mixed media papers, which I love and use frequently, also contain 30% post-consumer fiber. Canson also uses post-consumer fiber content in their XL Recycled, XL Recycled Bristol, XL Recycled Drawing, and XL Recycled Sketch pads. There are also recycled sketch pads from Bee paper.

For watercolorists, I found that the Shizen professional watercolor paper is hand-made in India from 100% recycled materials.

In my teens I also learned to recycle paper myself to make greeting cards and such. I just had my grandpa make a wooden frame and staple a piece of screening material on it and presto. I decorated the paper with dried flowers and leaves and the result was beautiful and unique. Here are some instructions if you want to try it yourself. I skipped the blender part and just used my hands to blend the pulp and the water. That worked well enough.

Another thing I constantly do is to re-use paper if I do not like the final result of a painting. For watercolors, one can always use the back of the paper. I often just gesso over “failed” watercolors and paint in acrylics on top or simply fix or finish the painting using acrylics or pastels. For a while, I was also into making monoprints using the Gelli Arts gelatin printing plate. I made lots of my monoprints on tissue paper and then used it on collages such as in the “Koi” painting at the top of this blog post.

Artists, do you have any other eco tips for fellow artists? Any recycled paper that you like? Please leave me a comment below. In a future blog post, I hope to post about other eco-friendly supports such as canvas, boards, etc. So stay tuned for more…

A monoprint I made using the Gelli Arts gelatin printing plate.

Flowers are changing their (UV) colors in response to climate change

Some interesting research came out last year showing how plants are adapting to increased temperatures and decreased ozone by changing the amount of UV pigment in their petals. Unfortunately, us humans cannot detect changes in pigmentation the UV spectrum but pollinators are attracted to these UV patterns. The UV pigments protect the flowers’ pollen from the damaging effects of UV radiation by increasing its absorption to prevent radiation from damaging sensitive cells. The UV pigments act sort of like a sunscreen.

The study found that overall UV pigment increased by about approximately 2% per year from 1941-2017; however, the changes varied according to species. For species with exposed anthers at locations with the largest declines in UV-protective ozone, UV pigmentation increased dramatically to compensate. For species with anthers hidden inside petals, UV pigmentation declined as temperature increased (so that they would absorb less radiation). This keeps the pollen from over-cooking inside the petals. There is concern about the implications of these changes on flower reproduction through pollination.

This recent study has found an association between changes in anthocyanin-based (red, purple, blue, black pigments) colors in flowers and changes in climate. Anthocyanins are a type of flavonoid, and have antioxidant effects. Specifically, species in areas where temperatures have increased the most, show decreases in anthocyanin pigmentation, while species in areas that have become more arid have shown increases in anthocyanin pigmentation. This has potential repercussions on flower reproduction.