Greg Patch’s paintings of infinity, the body’s seven energy centers or chakras, and relationships between
opposing forces symbolize the very essence of life – the waves of energy that move the natural world universally. A means of meditation for the Surf City artist and a vehicle of contemplation for others, the wavy patterns and symbols that emerge in his paintings are created with material as natural as the ancient, sacred geometry that inspires them. A mixture of beeswax and
natural pigments is the artist’s medium of choice, and for good reasons. “Sustainable alternative mediums
that are free of turpentine, processed oils, plastics, lead, preservatives and fungicides are at our fingertips:
beeswax, egg tempera, watercolor, earth (clay) and
sustainably produced wood, for example,” Patch says.
A look at some of the material safety data sheets
(MSDS) on popular mediums is eye-opening. The following safety data excerpt on the commonly used flake white oil paint is one example Patch shares on his website, GreenArtStudio.com, in “A Look at Toxicity in Visual Arts Materials”:
“USAGE PRECAUTIONS: Avoid spilling, skin and eye contact. Wear full protective clothing for prolonged exposure and/or high concentrations. Pregnant or breast-feeding women must not handle this product.”
Sounds more like an excerpt from the MSDS for nuclear waste than art paint. One can only wonder if the fox is guarding the chicken coop. “The use of these toxins is legally regulated under the classification of non-toxic by the Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc (ACMI),” the environmental artist explains. “Unfortunately, the ACMI is funded by art paint
manufacturers and those producing the ingredients inside the material like the petroleum and chemical industries.”
Active in the evolution of a people- and earth-friendly art community, Patch joins other eco-artists at events like ecoartspace’s “What Matters Most?” show and benefit in New York City in April. A collection donated by 300 artists to support the environmental efforts of ecoartspace, each piece is priced at only $150 and can be viewed at EcoArtSpaceWhatMatters- Most2010.blogspot. com. On June 28, the day of Tate Britain’s summer party celebrating BP’s 20-year sponsorship of the art gallery, Patch joined 170 others in the international art community in an unprecedented coalition from the arts condemning BP’s sponsorship of the 113-year-old British art gallery. Including signatures of masters whose works are held or have been held in collections within the gallery, an excerpt from the letter reads: “As crude oil continues to devastate coastlines and communities in the Gulf of Mexico, BP executives will be enjoying a cocktail reception with curators and artists in the Tate Britain. These relationships enable big oil companies to mask the environmentally destructive nature of their activities with the social legitimacy that is associated with such high-profile cultural associations.”
Waking each day to a sun that grows ever hotter as it rises over our one ocean, Greg Patch has a very clear view of what eco-art is: “Artists can create great works to honor the environment, but not until we start using materials and methods that honor the environment are we accepting personal responsibility for the environment.”
Pigments with No Significant Hazards
Charcoal, Bone, Graphite & Mars Black
Ultramarine Blue, Green, Red & Violet
White #18, 23 & 24
Titanium White
Van Dyke Brown
Mars Yellow, Orange, Violet & Black
Ochre & Yellow Ochre
Yellow Oxide # 42 & 43
Metallic Gold #3
Metallic Silver
The Siennas
Sepia
Indian Red (red iron oxide)
Phthalocyanine Blue & Green
The information was compiled by artist
Greg Patch from the Environmental Management
Division of the City of Tucson’s
“Health & Safety in the Arts: A Searchable
Database of Health & Safety Information
for Artists.” To view the full database, visit
www.ci.tucson.az.us/arthazards/.
Samplings of Greg Patch’s paintings are on display ongoing at ArtExposure just south of Highway 210(Lowes) at 22527 Highway 17 North in Hampstead and at Porters Neck Yoga & Spa at 8004 Market St. in Wilmington, with an opening scheduled at Sage Salon & Spa at 7110 Wrightsville Ave., Unit A-2 in mid-September. His full portfolio can be viewed online at GreenArtStudio.com. Additional information is also available on his blog at GregPatch.blogspot.com. 910-616-9930.
