As a lifelong nature lover, in recent months I’ve been making my own earth paints by grinding up rocks and mixing them with tempera (egg) binders. I also have a lot of artist quality acrylic paints in my stash, which I’m trying to reduce my reliance on, and increase my mindfulness of their ethical waste impacts. 
So I’m this intuitive painting, I’m discovering ways I can combine both worlds, the full colour spectrum of acrylics, with earth-friendly natural pigments. 

I applied blue acrylic paint first using a palette knife and wiped away excess on a cloth, rather than rinsing a brush in water and creating toxic waste water excess. I then came over the top with my earth paints and I love the blue colour pop, alongside those earthy hues. 
Here, I also trialled my first homemade black paint, using crushed charcoal my Dad collected from my brother’s fire pit!
It’s such an exciting process of problem solving and discovery, finding ways to make use of new and old art materials in ethically sustainable ways. 
What do you think about the blend of acrylics meet earth paints? I’m loving the combo personally, it feels like I’m contributing to environmentally sound art-making in significant ways in my life and art now. Feels great.

Love, Chrissy.