Environment & Ethics

My subject matter is the natural world, and our relationship with it; the materials I use to make my art are chosen to help express that relationship. Central to my practice is to work in as an environmentally and ethically responsible way as possible. I feel that it is important to actually explain what that means in my practice, to be transparent, hence this page. As with our food, clothes, and transport, everything that we buy and consume, we should expect art, craft and design products to be made sustainably and fairly. I believe the world urgently needs to establish a circular economy, reducing waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use and regenerating natural systems. In my practice this is an on-going process of changes and improvements, I will up-date this page regularly.

Studio practice:

• Electricity supplier: Octopus, 100% renewable
• Silver: 100% recycled
• Gold leaf: Supplied by Gold Leaf Supplies who in turn are supplied by Giusto Manetti who source gold from mines in certified conflict free countries: Supplier’s declaration. I don’t feel that this is sufficient and have asked Manetti’s to source gold from Fairmined mines. I await news.
• Good news! Fairmined 24ct gold leaf is now available from Eytzinger. I have registered as a Fairmined brand, so that I will be able to legally buy and declare that I use Fairmined gold in my work.
• Other metals and materials: Wherever possible recycled, pre-used, ‘found’, responsibly sourced.
• Annealing, soldering and cutting: I currently use propane and acetylene gas, but as sparingly as possible. I am using more cold connections and finding new ways to work which do not require using a gas torch.
• Chemicals: non-toxic, minimal use, responsible disposal
• Packaging: bio-degradable, recyclable
• Banking: Triodos
• Web browser: Ecosia

I am a signatory to the objectives of Culture Declares Emergency