Spiritsaid Fiber Art
All materials are second-hand: found, foraged, donated, traded, or purchased in a thrift store or charity shop.
I don’t buy new tools unless I have exhausted all of the above sources, and I absolutely cannot find what I need. (In practice, I end up purchasing about one new item per year)
All methods are eco-friendly: sewing, tying, crocheting, weaving, or binding instead of gluing, stapling, or varnishing with plastic based sealer.
Any non-biodegradable materials come from picking up litter on the street or in a natural environment. Anytime you see acrylic yarn, a canvas with acrylic paint, or anything plastic or glued, rest assured that I found it that way.
There's one exception…every once in awhile, I purchase something small from a local independent retailer or artist (hand-dyed yarn from a disabled artist, a set of hand forged curved needles to support the Forge Mill Needle Museum in Redditch, UK.) Local stores and makers deserve support. So on the off chance I do buy anything, that's where I source it.
For me, it’s like the doctor's Socratic oath “Do no harm”...except for artists!
What is your "No New Supplies" pledge?
Why do you list the biodegradable content of your art?
I think it's important to understand a work’s entire life cycle. While I use mostly biodegradable materials and 100% eco-friendly construction techniques (no PVA-based adhesives or plastic packaging) I do sometimes work with acrylic, plastic, or other non-biodegradable objects that are foraged or found.
While I hope clients will treasure my work, nothing lasts forever. I want collectors to be aware of how to dispose of my art in an ecologically responsible way. To be honest, I think the percentage of biodegradable materials should be de rigeur, like ingredient lists and caloric breakdowns on food packaging. We want to know what we're eating. I think we should know what we're buying, too.
Who is Sophia?
Her name ("Sophia 2026") is written on the back of this canvas.
I found it on Fitzwilliam St. near the corner of Percy St. in Philadelphia, across from a playground.
Is this her school assignment or daycare project, carelessly discarded on the way home?
However this canvas came to be discarded on the street, I loved using her painting as inspiration to create a new work of art.
I do. Everything can be shipped. Please contact me with your location, and we can discuss the most eco-friendly shipping and packaging options. For some work and some locations, there may be an additional shipping fee.
Do you ship your work?
