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t h e a rt i s t at wo r k To create the pieces in the ongoing Chroma series, Sabraw uses different paint viscosities and types of pigments, and allows these layers to naturally interact with the temperature, humidity, and other elements of his home studio (where he chooses not to use air conditioning for environmental reasons).
Syn cl i n e : T u m e r ic
Chroma painting Mixed media on aluminum composite panel, 12x12 inches
abraw, however, is passionate about creating sustainable artwork. Instead of painting on canvas, for example, he uses two thin sheets of aluminum composite panel sandwiched around a plastic core. The material is primarily used in commercial signage and is very durable and flexible. It’s a “conservationist’s dream,” Sabraw notes in his artist’s statement, as it’s made to withstand exterior conditions and won’t corrode or crack. The frames are bamboo that’s been organically grown, sustainably harvested, and formaldehyde free, with layers of water-based clear coat. These lightweight pieces help save on shipping fuel costs. Sabraw uses water-based paints, dry pigments, and other dry media. In the fall, he and Guy Riefler, an associate professor of civil engineering, successfully produced small quantities of an artist-grade acrylic and oil paint from a novel source: the iron runoff from the region’s old coal mines. Rain washes the heavy metals out of the mines, and the discharge collects in streams. Environmental scientists have worked for years to clean up these waterways, which are too acidic for wildlife to thrive. “The dream of a useful paint made from mine runoff remediation, whose sales can offset the cost of remediation, is one step closer to realization,” the artist says. To create the pieces in the ongoing Chroma series, Sabraw uses different paint viscosities and types of pigments, and allows these layers to naturally interact with the temperature, humidity, and other elements of his home studio (where he chooses not to use air conditioning for environmental reasons). Sabraw may layer various coats of paints over the course of several days or even months, watching to see how the colors and materials respond, before he decides the painting is complete. “You have to give yourself over to being in the process itself,” he says. “If you have an ideal image in mind, you’re going to be frustrated.” On his companion website, the Green World Art Project, Sabraw explains how he not only uses sustainable materials, but also lives green by relying on only natural or CFL lights, turning off electronics that aren’t in use, installing water-efficiency devices, walking instead of driving,
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images: Courtesy of John sabraw; portrait, robb Decamp
recycling items for the studio, and using a programmable thermostat. Whatever Sabraw can’t make sustainable, he makes carbon neutral. That’s a concept by which an individual can purchase “carbon credits” to offset the environmental damage caused by activities that produce carbon dioxide, such as using electricity or traveling by car or air. The credits fund projects such as planting trees or clean energy initiatives that reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As part of the Green World Art Project, Sabraw studied the methods used by Leonardo da Vinci, such as the types of materials and pigments in his paint and the mining efforts and horse-drawn vehicles that obtained them, to create the Mona Lisa. He determined that he needed to purchase $35.50 in carbon credits to offset the estimated 3.55 metric tons of carbon dioxide generated in the production of this famous work. Other artists aren’t always so amused by these meditations on green art, Sabraw admits.
> > u n i f i e d t h e o ry This piece, which Sabraw displays with Chroma, contains 625 images that the artist says inspired the Chroma series.