While planning the art I wanted to show for this initiative, I found inspiration in the organic art supplies themselves. Painting with sustainable pigments prompted me to reflect on my relationship with food waste.

It was my mom who taught me that food comes from the ground. Each summer, she would take me to visit her old farmhouse, where she grew up and where my family moved after immigrating from Poland. I would spend most of my time here outside. It’s where I learned how to find mushrooms and pick raspberries.

I grew up with a guiding belief that food shouldn’t be wasted. I’m still mindful of this decades later, applying it to my art practice. I often use upcycled materials or repurpose what I already have before purchasing something new. I think artists have an innate resourcefulness.

Each painting in this collection reflects moments in my life when I felt a direct connection to the food we eat.

With this body of work, I invite you to reflect on a few things:
• Who taught you to dig in the dirt?
• When was the first time you planted something or picked fruit from a tree?
• What small changes could you make in your life to promote a more sustainable future?