Sustainability in art is a topic that’s growing in interest: there were 69% more searches for ‘sustainable art’ online in the UK in 2020 than in 2019, with art enthusiasts and home decor aficionados seeking to express themselves through prints, paintings, sculptures and more, made in a sustainable way.
From collages made with organic materials to still life paintings on reclaimed wood, the field of sustainable art is as rich and varied as any other. If you’re looking to bring new artwork into your home without compromising on green ideals, you’re in luck. Artfinder has brought together this collection of painters, sculptors, relief-makers and more, highlighting a few great independent artists with works to suit a range of budgets.
Cynthia Jagtman – Prices from £67-208
Cynthia Jagtman’s collages layer carefully-rendered organic forms such as leaves, branches, feathers and flowers with free-flowing colours and mark-making techniques. Many of the components of her artworks are gathered from her garden, or from daily dog walks around her neighbourhood.
Using natural dyes and plant-printed paper, Jagtman notes that “nature can’t be forced”, saying that dying her collages with berries and other plants means the finished outcome is “always a surprise”.
The Lost Fox – Prices from £39-69
Jan Hirst and Dan Forster come together as The Lost Fox, using water-based inks and FSC-accredited Colorplan boards to create stunning, contemporary screenprints with a rich depth of colour. Every print from The Lost Fox is individually signed and numbered, and sold in limited runs.
Emma Bennett – Prices from £60-450
Emma Bennett’s bright, playful collages use recycled materials, hand-cut from old maps and magazines. Exploring a range of subjects, from birds and other animals to local landscapes and household objects, Bennett says “As I use discarded materials, my work responds directly to the seasonal colours in the publications, so any piece develops truly organically.”
Swapna Namboodiri – Prices from £55-950
Swapna Namboodiri works with upcycled plastic bottles and other discarded plastic pollution, to create unique sculptural artworks for a range of budgets. Describing herself as “extremely passionate contributing to greener days for the coming generations”, Namboodiri brings a unique style to her art, turning plastic scraps from waste into wonders.
Mike Skidmore – Priced from £550-590
Mike Skidmore’s one-of-a-kind paintings on recycled wood pair photorealism with reclaimed pallet boards, to create something truly unique. Skidmore describes the process of sourcing old pallets from building sites, before transforming them with painted still life scenes, as “lengthy, but worth it” and adds “hopefully I am doing a little bit to help the planet, whilst bringing my customers some pleasure.”
About Artfinder: Artfinder is the art marketplace. They describe themselves as “on a mission to make art accessible, affordable and a viable career for artists.”