Water Stories: Conservations in Paint and Sound

The Museum of Science opened a brand new art and sound exhibit last week -“Water Stories: Conservations in Paint and Sound” with paintings by Anne Neely and sound by Halsey Burgund.

The exhibit features oil paintings ranging in size from up to eight feet across to much smaller creations.  Neely focuses her works on the subject of water.  Inspired after seeing a toxic dump turned aquifer in Maine near her Jonesboro studio, Neely took to the beauty of different bodies of water.  She then began researching the many threats to water such as drought, depleted aquifers, dried up riverbeds, pollution, toxic sediment and fracking.  This is when she started seeing true connections between water preservation and art.

In 2012, she took her idea to museum director David G. Rabkin.  Together they came up with the exhibit and she got to work.  On July 11th, their dream became a reality.  With the help of sound artist, Halsey Burgund, the exhibit was opened in Boston.

“It’s impressionistic and emotional, rather than pure thinking,” says Rabkin.  The exhibit is rooted in art but has an educational side to it.  It is meant to inspire but also inform.

The Museum of Science is excited to feature such a unique crossover exhibit.  Learn more and plan your visit here.

Victor Douieb Sculpts the Invasive Lionfish

source image courtesy of epicdiving

In April, artist and conservation activist Victor Douieb gave a lecture at the New England Aquarium as part of their free lecture series. Victor, who was never formally trained in the arts, started his career as a dental assistant making molds of patients' teeth. As an art enthusiast and diver, he wanted to purchase a sculpture of a hammerhead shark for his home, but was unable to find one - so he made his own! Since he began sculpting in 2008, he has created pieces that portray both endangered species and invasive species. My personal favorite is the pop art rhino: 

Victor also talked about his latest work - sculptures of the Lionfish. Lionfish are an invasive species originally from the South Pacific that can now be found all along the east coast. They are highly detrimental to the habitats they invade because they eat almost anything, and have no predators. So how did Lionfish get here? Most likely they were released by humans into coastal waters - theories target the Atlantis resort in approximately 1985. And because they live in reef areas where many endangered species live, it is incredibly hard for people to catch Lionfish without threatening other fish. While there is no immediate solution to the problem, Victor is bringing awareness to the issue through his art in the hopes that people will take notice and come up with innovative ways to reduce Lionfish numbers.

Art Inspired by the Arctic

WHEN: January 30, 2014 – May 18, 2014

WHERE: Tisch Family Gallery, 40 Talbot Avenue, Medford, MA 02155

WHAT: This exhibition of paintings, photographs and a video installation introduces Boston audiences to artists who either have not been seen before in the area or have created new work for this occasion. Seeing Glacial Time examines how eight contemporary artists employ the "real time" of photography to visualize the largely imperceptible, gradual changes in "glacial time" from the bellwether Arctic region. Most of these artists have gone to extreme lengths—and distances—to capture and create their imagery. More information here.

Green Patriot Posters Exhibit on Display at Design Museum Boston

by Jimmy Huang

WHEN: On display from January 17, 2014 – May 31, 2014
Hours: Sat-Wed 10am-5pm, Thu-Fri 10am-9pm

WHERE: 315 on A, 315 A Street Boston, MA 02210

WHY: Head to the Fort Point District to see the Green Patriot Posters exhibition and experience the opening 315 on A, a LEED Gold Certified residential apartment building. Green Patriot Posters, inspired by World War II posters, hopes to unite us all once again – this time to combat climate change. Launched by art collective the Canary Project in 2008, Green Patriot Posters invites designers, illustrators, photographers, and artists to create poster-form artwork relating to any aspect of climate change and environmental justice. To date, Green Patriot has collected over 500 unique poster designs.

Cool Globes Exhibit Comes to Boston

Since 2007, the Cool Globes Exhibit has been traveling the world, and for the next two months, it will be in Boston. The beautifully painted, 5-foot diameter globes are installed in various locations throughout the city - each depicting solutions to various aspects of climate change. The fun exhibit is intended to spark dialogue and encourage creative thought on environmental issues. I hope to see as many as I can before the exhibit moves on to its next destination!

Green Tip Tuesday: Eco Event Ideas Inspired by David Stark

image

David Stark is an amazing party planner to the stars. I first heard about him while listening to Grace Bonney of Design Sponge's radio show, After the Jump. He caught my attention when he mentioned during the interview that he tries to make his events sustainable! The image above is a “bottle”  created from hundreds of recycled wine bottles for an editor’s preview event for the Eco countertop line. For more of his eco-aware large scale event ideas, check out his blog: http://www.davidstarksketchbook.com/

LED candle pillars add ambiance to the Metropolitan Opera's Gala in 2011

Cacti made of recycled cardboard at West Elm's Broadway opening

Upcycled newspaper table decor for NRDC Gala in 2011

Tonight: EcoSession Sustainable Textiles & Techniques Spanning India & Boston

One of my favorite blogs, Magnifeco, is hosting a series of sustainability themed events in Boston this spring. The first of which is tonight at MassArt. All are invited to this FREE event to explore Indian textile arts that have been practiced in villages and through folklore for centuries and their role in modern, sustainable manufacturing and design.


Panelists:

Jennifer Varekamp -  is an Associate Professor in the Fashion Department at MassArt. She is a costume and clothing designer with a deep interest in sustainable fashion including the traditional techniques and artistry found in cultural dress. She was a selected participant in the “Creative Industries and Sustainable Design” Tour of Germany in 2009 and has participated in numerous conferences and workshops on sustainability in the US and abroad.  She was an invited guest lecturer at NIFT in Delhi, India on this topic. She currently teaches a summer course on Sustainable Fashion at MassArt.

AvniTrivedi - India’s native designer Avni Trivedi is not a newcomer to the industry of fashion design. Avni was born into a textile and fashion immersed family. All of Avni’s designs are crafted from fabrics that are 100% hand-dyed and woven by individual artists while commissioned exclusively by Avni. By requisitioning these fabrics, Avni helps maintain economic stability for her villages of root and keeps these ancient arts alive.The dyes used in Avni creations are chemically free, using herbs and plants to create colors. Avni’s naturally dyed fabrics are created by urban artisans from Mumbai, who use their talents to create the environmentally friendly fabrics.

Seema Krish -  Bombay born Seema Krish is known for her ‘Modern Traditional’ aesthetic in the medium of textiles. In her Boston studio, she creates contemporary textile designs that are combined with traditional textile making techniques. She finds inspiration for her unique visual vocabulary in living between two cultures- East and West. seemakrish the fabric line, founded in 2010, is a unique line dedicated to producing artisanal textiles created by a select group of Indian artisans. The mission is to enhance the lives of both the users and the producers. The products are simple, beautiful, environmentally and socially conscious.

Learn more and RSVP here.

Register Now for the MIT Sustainability Summit

This is the last week to get the special early bird price on registration for the MIT Sustainability Summit! I met with some of the organizers of the summit for coffee a couple of weeks ago to learn more about the event, and let me just tell you, it is going to be awesome!

This is the 5th Annual MIT Sustainability Summit, and the first year that the event will span 2 days. The emphasis of the summit this year is on action - what we, as consumers, can do to make our society more environmentally and economically sustainable. The summit draws participants from all industries and fields of interest which makes the workshops well-rounded. This year, photographer, James Balog will be sharing his work on showing climate change through film and photo. I love that the event coordinators have found a way to incorporate key note speeches, workshops, lectures, and even art into one weekend!

So as you start thinking of how you will care for our planet this Earth Day, consider finishing the week at MIT's Sustainability Summit!

Green Boutique: Twelve Chairs

image courtesy of greenwithrenvy.blogspot.com

Earlier this week I attended an event at the Twelve Chairs boutique in the Seaport District and I am in love. Twelve Chairs is a super-chic home goods store with an Anthropologie-esque vibe, but the reason I love it is that all of their products must meet certain sustainability and humanitarian criteria! One of the store's co-founders, Miggy Mason, is LEED AP which shows their commitment to offering Boston responsible products for home interiors. Their merchandise must all meet the following standards: 

LOCAL

- Local Business - The product is designed by a company within the USA or Canada. 

- Locally Manufactured - The product is produced within the USA or Canada. 

- Locally Sourced - The materials used to manufacture the product are sourced from within 

  500 miles of the production site. 

HEALTHY 

- Nontoxic - The inks, dyes, and/or finishes used in the creation of the product have

  minimum impact on the planet and are not harmful to people.

- Organic - The materials used to create the product are Certified Organic.     

CONSERVING 

- Recycled/ Reclaimed - The materials used to make the product previously existed. 

- Recyclable/ Biodegradable - At the end of its current use, the product can be used again 

  or decomposed.  

- Renewable - The materials used to create the product are from natural, renewable

  resources. 

RESPONSIBLE 

- Values Driven Company - The company that produces the product demonstrates

  a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. 

- Responsible Production/ Manufacturing - The methods used to produce the product

  are focused on energy efficiency, waste reduction, and worker protection. 

- Fairly Traded - The people that create the products are paid a fair, living wage and there 

  is a commitment to social and environmental standards. 

- Responsible Distribution - The product is shipped in a manner that minimizes waste 

  and carbon emissions.

"Just Us Gals Boston" Launch

I am very excited to announce my new project: Just Us Gals. I've teamed up with my friends Suzanne (web designer & DIY expert) and Meredith (real estate broker & stylista) to create a new blog designed for specifically for the ladies of Boston. I hope to be the green voice of the blog, while also writing about some of my other passions like art, books, and cultural events. So if you ever get tired of reading my green living tips, definitely go check out Just Us Gals for some fun and feminine posts!

If you like it, follow us on the following platforms:
Twitter: JustUsGalsBos
Pinterest: JustUsGalsBos
Instagram: JustUsGalsBos

I'd love to hear any comments, suggestions, or questions about the new blog!

Upcycled Christmas Decorations

In the mood for some DIY? Use that creative spirit to make some festive and green decorations for the holidays:

CDs ----> Ornaments

Wine corks ------> Mini Christmas Tree

Scrap paper ----> Gift bows

To find out how to do all of these (and more) upcycling crafts, check out Boston Green Blog on Pinterest.

"We Do Care" Bracelets

Recently I received a gift of three Siykatala bracelets from South Africa. Not only are they gorgeous, hand-crafted pieces of jewelry, but they also support impoverished Zulu families. Siykatala means "we do care" in Xhosa. The Siykatala co-op was founded in 1994 and has continued to help Zulu women find sustainable business opportunities. To learn more about Siykatala and their artisans, visit their website.    

Guest Post: How to Safely Dispose of Latex Paint

Today's guest post comes from Crissy Trask of GreenMatters.com. Crissy is a well-renowned green living writer and speaker, and I am thrilled that we were able to collaborate on a post exchange.

The post is how to best dispose of latex paint. As many of you may know, I used to be a lead paint inspector with the EPA, so issues regarding house paint are very near and dear to my heart. We are surrounded by paint - and the chemicals paint is made from can affect our health in unexpected ways - so its always best to be informed.

QUESTION: How should I clean latex paint out of brushes, rollers and trays? Is it better to rinse them off in the sink so the water goes to the treatment facility, or to rinse them off outdoors over the ground so the paint filters through the soil?

ANSWER: Let’s take these two cleaning methods one at a time.

Sink cleaning: As long as the paint is latex (water-based), cleaning your painting tools in the sink and rinsing paint residue down the drain is fine. Waste water treatment facilities are set up for this kind of thing and are capable of removing or neutralizing impurities. Many cities prefer this method because they can control where and how impurities are disposed of.

Outdoor cleaning: Tools used for latex paint can be rinsed outside over the ground using a hose provided there is no risk of the tainted water running off into a storm drain or nearby waterway. This means rinsing them over a hard, impervious surface is definitely a no-no. Rinsing on grass is often best because the blades and roots provide a natural barrier that slows down the movement of water across the ground.

When choosing a suitable clean-up spot, give yourself a buffer of at least 15 feet between where you rinse and any edible plantings (on your property or your neighbors) and 200 feet from a natural water source. Choose relatively soft ground so the water will seep into the ground quickly. As it seeps deeper and deeper into the ground, the soil will naturally filter out impurities.

Before clean-up

Before cleaning painting tools, remove as much paint from them as possible. First brush wet paint out of paint trays and buckets into the original container. Then squeeze as much paint from brushes and rollers as possible. (That curved notch on paint sticks is for scraping paint from a saturate paint roller back into the can.) Clean paint brushes and rollers thoroughly to make sure they will last for years.

Crissy Trask is the founder of GreenMatters.com and the author of the bestseller It’s Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living. Follow her on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook.

Adventures in Brattleboro, VT part 2

Brattleboro, Vermont is just about the greenest little city you can find. Besides their fabulous new co-op (see previous post), they also have lots of green-minded shops or regular shops with some surprisingly green flare! These photos are just a brief example of the many eco-friendly products I saw while shopping downtown:

at an Indian clothing and decor store, they were selling repurposed saris as journal covers! Gorgeous! 

Eco-friendly notecards - a boutique must-have!

And I spied this little beauty at a second-hand furniture store: a chandelier made of bottle tops!

Craft Night!

If you're like me, you probably have a pinterest board full of upcycle/repurposing craft ideas. The problem is getting the motivation to actually do them! Recently, my friends and I decided to tackle this problem by making it a party! We sipped white wine spritzers with frozen berries, and snacked on baked brie, and then got our hands dirty by repainting old flower vases.

Before:

image courtesy of cutewineglasses.com

Set up:

During:

Final Products:

OK, so we may not be the most talented artists on the block, but I think they look better than the original clear ones - and they are definitely way more fun. Plus, they will be a good conversation starter at our various apartments around Boston!

Using Chain Link Fences to "Capture Resonance"

I discovered this art installation on Pinterest and fell in love! It is a wonderful display created by Soo Sunny Park out of old chain link fences! It is called 'Capturing Resonance' and is on display at the deCordova Museum in Lincoln, MA through July.

Peter Lindbergh - Photos, Fashion, Awareness

I was flipping through some old magazines, and I absolutely loved this "Global Warming" themed fashion photo shoot by Peter Lindbergh for Harper's Bazaar, March 2010.

Burtynsky: A Modern Day Ansel Adams

Edward Burtynsky is well renowned for his nature photography. He does exquisite aerial photos, photos of natural wonders, and even captures environmental threats like mines and oil rigs. This spring some of his photographs will be on exhibit at Dartmouth College's Hood Museum of Art, from April 21 - August 19. The exhibit will feature photos of Vermont quarries. For more information, visit EdwardBurtynsky.com

RRR: Shoe Woo Wow!

Saturday in NYC this past weekend was beautiful! So what better way to be a tourist than walking around and hitting the shops! In Shoe Woo I could barely even look at the shoes because I was so distracted by the AMAZING sculpture in the middle of the store. It was hundreds of old shoes, painted, and built around one of the store's huge columns. I love when RRR creates something so visually stunning.

Behind the Scenes

It is sometimes hard to come up with fresh content every day, which is why I keep an inspiration book - clippings of articles and images along with my own drawings and notes. When I'm stumped for post ideas, I look back through the book and usually have an idea within 15 seconds! Its also helped me define my personal taste and style.

So where did I get all of these fun clippings? EVERYWHERE - Elle, TIME, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, Improper Bostonian, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Stuff, Anthropologie Catalog, Urban Outfitters Catalog, various alumni magazines, North Shore, and, yes, Maxim. I'm a magazine fiend - but no worries - they never go to waste!