In my tapestries I use cotton and wool that I do not produce. But most materials are dead plants, seeds, bark and a lot of other plentiful and available materials from nearby gardens and spaces. I've been working dutifully on this sustainable process. Ways that do not produce rubbish or pollutants (including noise, a great nuisance).
When people come to see my tapestries I talk about the process and how the spoils from my tapestries are fed back to my plants.
There are no chemicals or artificial products used or created during the treatment or the use of the materials I collect. Time is one of the most important aspects. It's a slow, hand made process. The materials are at the core of my work. They are not bough in a store and are not available from a catalog. They are made from what nature gives and prepared to be weaved (images below). The color pallet varies with the materials' availability. Not according to my wishes. Beyond art, what if our policies could embed this sustainable guiding principles? What would work and life be?
