Acrylic sludge build up from painting
Protect The Environment And Don't Pour Acrylic Paint Down The Drain

I love acrylic paint as a medium. It's vibrant and flexible enough for different techniques. Acrylic though is plastic paint. When we paint with acrylics, we rinse our brushes in a tub of water. Each time we rinse, we deposit acrylic particles in the water . If you pour all this down the drain, gradually over time there will be a build up of acrylic sludge. It's not good for your drain and it's definitely not good for the environment.

So how do I dispose of waste acrylic responsibly?

After I have finished for the day, I leave my rinsing jar complete with dirty water to one side. Over night the acrylic particles settle to the bottom. The next day, carefully, and without disturbing the sediment, I gentle pour the almost clear water away taking care to leave the sludge in the bottom of the jar. I then wipe the sludge up with a paper towel and bin it You'll be amazed how much there is.

It helps to use wide jars or tubs, wide enough to get your hands in. I always have two tubs on the go when painting, one for rinsing paint off my brush and the other for thinning, or priming my brush for fresh paint, which is clean water.

This photo is an example of just one days painting of sludge being left to dry. I scraped a bit off just to show how easy it could build up in your sewage pipes! Also, it's better in the bin than in the water course.

 Having Fun Experimenting with Book Making and Paper Cutting

Having Fun Experimenting With Different Art Techniques

I'm a painter first and foremost, but when I can, I take the opportunity to go on a workshop by an artist working in a different medium. Not necessarily because I want to work in that way, but to open my eyes to new possibilities in my own work, a sort of cross pollination of ideas and techniques.

 Peace lilies sketch in response to ME CFS

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Sketch Book and Microscope Ready for Art Studies
During the World of Work Exhibition March/April 2016 at the Workers Gallery and Workshops in Ynyshir, South Wales I held two drop in artist residencies. The purpose was to just be there to answer questions about my work and show how my art was taking another turn from my studies of the microscopic.

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Twitter Art Exhibition Donated Paintings

Twitter Art Exhibition 2016 Charitable Art Donations For Great Causes

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 Studying with the microscope

When Science Meets Art The Possibilities Are Endless

My love of science at school paralleled my love of art. Flowers have always been a source of inspiration for me, and now I can zoom in far beyond what the eye can see. I have a microscope! But it’s not quite as straight forward as that, so I am in the process of learning a new skill (making specimen slides) in order to take my nature paintings to another level.