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Even though I now use only natural art materials in my studio, I have to admit that I spent most of my 20s and early 30s practically bathing in mineral spirits and leaving heavy-metal-laden oil paints on my skin to seep into my bloodstream. I never had good ventilation while in art school and slept in the same room that I painted in. No one ever brought up the subject of safety in high school, college, art school, or beyond so I didn't worry...

Bear Cubs Nature Play recently shared their brilliant kids activity idea- mark making with Natural Earth Paints! This activity is great for children's fine motor skill development (which later helps with writing and coordination) while being a fun sensory experience.What you'll need:Natural Earth PaintsToy(s) of choice (ideally washable!)Mix up your Natural Earth Paints in containers that are large enough to dip your toys in. You should...

Looking for a Unique Gift that's inspires Creativity, Fun, Quality and Sustainability? This guide has something for ALL AGES, Artists and Non-artists and checks all the boxes!* USA Made * Woman-Owned Business * Green America Business *Safe & Sustainably MadeStocking Stuffers for Everyone: Gift certificatesNatural Face Paint Jars (Individual) Eco-Friendly Fine Art BrushesPalette Knife Eco-GlitterNatural Paint & Art Supplies Booklet ...

When I first created my business, Natural Earth Paint, 12 years ago, I had always been an oil painter and was very excited to spread the news that you could paint in a 100% toxin-free and natural way with natural oil paint. What then surprised me were the emails that started pouring in from artists saying that they preferred to paint with fast-drying acrylics but couldn't anymore because of their chemical sensitivities to the fumes! I didn't e...

Melissa is a Canadian artist who resides in a rural farmhouse surrounded by landscapes that inspire her art. There she forages for flora to make her own botanical inks and works with acrylics. She uses our Natural Varnish to finish her paintings and hopes to incorporate Natural Acrylik Paints into her work soon. Thank you, Melissa, for taking the time to speak to us about your art! Where did you grow up and how did t...

Kristyan Stjerne is a surfer and artist based in Indonesia. He uses Earth and Mineral Pigments, Natural Acrylik Medium, Organic Cotton Canvas, and Gum Arabic throughout his work. Thank you to Kristyan, for taking the time to talk about his art and creative journey with natural art materials!Photo taken by Gerhard Englebrecht Where did you grow up and how did this place influence you and your art?I grew up in Southern...

With Fall officially underway we have an easy and eco-friendly craft for you to try - featuring our Natural Acrylik Paints!Supplies Needed:Pumpkin(s)Paint BrushesNatural Acrylik Paint (in colors Black Ochre and Titanium White)Toothpick, Pencil, or other household items you may already have to create a perfect circle (See Step 3) Step 1: Clean your pumpkin(s)Wipe dirt off of your pumpkin for a clean painting surface.Step 2: Paint va...

Erica is a mixed-media artist who uses both reclaimed and natural materials, including our Earth & Mineral Pigments, for her fascinating 3-dimensional work. She's based in Portland, OR. Thank you, Erica, for taking the time to share your artistic story with us!When did you first become interested in making art?I’ve been drawing and sculpting in some form since childhood. Starting in preschool, I would draw on the concrete patio in our ba...

Stella incorporates natural materials into her work including a variety of Natural Earth Paint products: Refined Walnut Oil, Earth & Mineral Pigments, Eco-Solve, Natural Varnish, and Eco Gesso (see video at end of post). Thank you, Stella, for sharing your artistic journey with us!Where did you grow up and how did this place influence you and your art?I grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, just 30 minutes north of the li...

Meet Ricky Lee GordonBorn in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1984, Ricky Lee Gordon is an artist who creates natural landscapes using pigments and dyes found only in nature. It's a deeply personal process that Ricky compares to meditation, using natural materials to paint nature. His work centers around the idea of interconnectivity of all things and that we are all nature. He enjoys painting nature WITH nature IN nature - sometimes painting outdoo...

Aaron Glasson is an eco artist that we've always found truly inspiring on many levels. He is a New Zealand born Artist now based in the Mojave Desert. Since completing his degree in Art and Design at the Auckland University of Technology in 2005 he has been exhibiting and creating public art works internationally. His diverse body of work includes participatory installations, murals, paintings, illustration, furniture, sculpture, assemblage and f...

Thanks so much, Marghanita, for taking the time to speak with us about your artistic journey!Where did you grow up and how did this place influence you and your art?I grew up in Scotland in a small rural village outside of Edinburgh surrounded by wild natural spaces. I was allowed to roam free and the natural world was a place I felt at home, safe, and protected from a very early age. Gaining a sense of connection with these living beings and the...

You can feel good about using acrylic paint with our first-of-its-kind, plant-based Natural Acrylik Medium. This product is made with naturally archival ingredients to provide a permanent, water-resistant and non-yellowing finish that dries crystal clear. This product is plant based as opposed to petroleum based and does not include all of the toxic additives commonly found in conventional acrylic medium. Just like conventional acrylic mediums, t...

Where do our pigments originate from? Our pigments originate from all around the world! Here are the stories of one of our natural Earth & Mineral Pigment, Venetian Red - also known as Red Ochre.Venetian Red has been in use since prehistoric times and is found and used around the world. It's a natural earthen clay that is tinted by iron oxide and is composed of a naturally calcined form of the mineral hematite - along with traces of gyps...

Where do our pigments originate from? Our pigments originate from all around the world! Here are the stories of three of our natural Earth & Mineral Pigments, Venetian Red, Yellow Ochre, and Terre Verte. Venetian RedVenetian Red has been in use since prehistoric times and is found and used around the world. It's a natural earthen clay that is tinted by iron oxide and is composed of a naturally calcined form of the mineral hematite -...

Looking for the perfect creative, unique, sustainable gift for your loved one this holiday season? Let us help you - check out this holiday gift guide we have created just for you! Stocking Stuffers Eco-Friendly Fine Art BrushesEarth & Mineral Pigment Sample PackPalette KnifeEco-GlitterGift CertificatesNatural Face Paint JarsFor The Kiddos Natural Earth Paint KitNatural Face Paint KitEarth Flags Craft KitWooden Egg Craft KitFor The Eco...

Supplies: Earth & Mineral Pigments Walnut Oil Gum Arabic Powder Rice Starch Part 1: Making The Ink Step 1: On a glass palette, mix 1 part pigment (e.g. 1 tsp) with 1 part walnut oil (e.g. 1 tsp) until you get a loose paste. Step 2: Gradually mix in 1 part rice starch (e.g. 1 tsp) a little bit at a time to stiffen the paste. Step 3: Sprinkle 1/4 part gum arabic powder...

All of our recipes to create your own art supplies break down into 2 main ingredients - pigments and binders.Creating your own art supplies can seem daunting and complicated at first. But don't fret- it is easy once you break the process down into 2 simple steps!Making your own art supplies requires 2 main categories of ingredients:1. Pigments2. BindersPigments give the art supply you're making color, and binders are the ingredients that cre...

This natural, non-toxic crayon recipe featuring our Earth & Mineral Pigments comes from lindsey marie page, focused on nature-based learning through the seasons!"I wanted to come up with various projects that could be made using the same ingredients, so that if anyone wanted to invest in these materials, there would be multiple things they could make with them. My husband and I both have a background working with various types of wa...

Natural Earth Paint was featured in the 10th volume of the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration, all about making Art Supplies! This edition details the provenance, lore, and enduring appeal of art-making supplies, lushly illustrated through photography and artwork. There are beautiful photo-filled articles about large and small art supplies makers around the world mixed in with colorful sections on artists who make their own supplies from...

Thank you so much, Leslie, for chatting with us about your sustainable creative practice and awesome upcycled artwork!First, could you tell us about your professional background and how it informs your art? A little birdie told us you’re a scientist at NASA! Thanks for the opportunity! I am an environmental scientist working at NASA. I spent years in labs developing environmental science tests and monitoring water and air quality for contaminatio...

Hi Kristen, thank you so much for chatting with us about your expressive and joyful creative practice!You describe yourself on your website as an “expressive art alchemist, author, designer, beading educator, painting facilitator, & certified creativity coach.” Is there one role that resonates most strongly with you, or one that sparked the rest?If there is one that I feel deep in my soul it’s an expressive art alchemist. That is the seed that al...

Our Natural Egg Dye Kit was featured on Good Morning America!"Here are the best egg-dyeing kits. With Easter just days away, consider The Wirecutter's top picks for dyeing eggs."Watch the full video here. Interested in what others have to say about Natural Earth Paint? Visit our News page!Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more natural inspiration....

When it comes to edible projects like dying Easter eggs, nothing is more important than food safety. Our Natural Egg Dye Kit uses natural, food-grade extracts made from spices and veggies, unlike many conventional egg dyes on the market that contain toxic chemicals that shouldn't be ingested. But what's so bad about those chemicals, anyway? In this post, we'll provide the facts about some of the most commonly used dy...

Around the Easter season, we often get the question, "what will your Natural Egg Dye look like on brown eggs, duck eggs, or blue eggs?" We've created a short egg color guide for our non-toxic, plant-based Natural Egg Dye Kit, not with typical white eggs, but with brown egg, duck eggs, and blue eggs, too!To try this at home, you'll need our Natural Egg Dye Kit, named NYT Wirecutter's best natural egg dye kit ...

Our Natural Egg Dye Kit was featured as the best natural egg dye in NYT Wirecutter's "The Best Easter Egg Dyeing Kits" article! We love the safety, quality, and vibrant colors that come with our egg dye, but don't take our word for it—here's what NYT had to say:"Why we like it: The powders included in [Natural Earth Paint’s Natural Egg Dye Kit] deliver all the natural beauty and dyeing power of fruits (blueberries!), vegetables (purple carrots!),...

Thank you so much, Morgan, for stopping by to chat with us about your amazing business, Open Hands Creative!For those in our audience you haven’t yet heard of your incredible sustainable small business, please introduce us to Open Hands Creative! What is your focus as an arts-centric business?Open Hands Creative is an art experience business based in Perth, Australia. We focus on running eco-friendly art workshops in person and selling DIY art ki...

When an artist receives a startling diagnosis caused by their beloved conventional art supplies, one of two things happen; they're forced to quit doing what they love, or they're lucky enough to find a safe, natural alternative like Natural Earth Paint. Christine Aspegren is one such artist; after developing a serious reaction to her conventional paints, she discovered Natural Earth Paint, and the rest is history! We spoke with Christine this mon...

Catalina Christensen, eco-artist and pigment collector from Columbia, shared her secrets on household hacks for pigment processing and paint making during the 2021 Pigments Revealed Symposium. We're sharing some of her insights here!1. Improvisation is Perfectly AcceptableWhen she was first inspired to process pigments while in the deserts of Columbia, Catalina didn't have access to traditional pigment processing tools. So, she imp...

Thanks so much, Rachel, for taking the time to speak with us about your eco-friendly painting journey! Let's get started!Could you please tell us about how your first got into painting?Thanks so much for having me! Yes, I’ve always been quite creative and artistic in a variety of ways, but I first began painting in my late teens. It all started very spontaneously and naturally, and I just immediately fell in love with it. I’ve always struggled wi...

Cover Photo by Sarah RauberNatural Earth Paint founder Leah Fanning had the chance to chat with dancer-turned-printmaker Marjorie Morgan this month; we hope you enjoy Marjorie's tips, recipes, and stories as much as Leah did!Leah: I’m a huge admirer of all of your work and the organic, flowing, yet rooted energy of it really pulls at my heart. When I learned that much of your life was spent as professional modern dancer and perform...

Artists around the world are digging into the science and history behind earth pigments and natural art. One such artist is Heidi Gustafson, founder of Early Futures, an artistic research site with a current focus on ochre, iron oxides, land pigments, and subtle earth activism. "Heidi Gustafson is an artist and ochre worker based in rainy, volcanic Cascade foothills of rural northern Washington," her site states. "Her intuitiv...

Real talk, Natural Earth Paint family: 2022 is the year of embracing imperfection. We've spent years perfecting our packaging aesthetics and eco-friendliness, and as a green business, we've come a long way (you can learn more about our eco-friendly packaging and practices here). But recently, we realized that many of our customers aren't actually looking for perfect packaging; they just want the quality of our pigments deliver...

Hi Micaela, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us about your incredible sustainable fashion design! So, let’s dive right in!Tell us a little about yourself; what was your first introduction to the art and design world?My mother is an artist, so I was introduced to art at a very early age. We had an art room in the house that I grew up in, so I was constantly working on some kind of art project, be it drawing, painting, clay, or se...

Natural Earth Paint was featured in Green America's Sustainable Alternatives to Amazon article this holiday season!"Below is a new and expanded version of our previous article "12 Greener Options than Amazon!" The updated list includes businesses selling clothing and accessories, personal care products, home products, toys and crafts, books and entertainment, pet supplies and toys, home cleaning products, and food and supplements.During the pande...

For an eco-friendly alternative to plastic Christmas ornaments, give these gorgeous handmade, DIY wooden ornaments (featuring our Earth & Mineral Pigments) a try this holiday season!Supplies: Earth & Mineral PigmentsBinder of choice (see Step 1)Paint brushesWood slices with holes for hanging (you can slice and drill your own or purchase them from your local craft store)Pencil (for sketching)Natural VarnishTwine or ribbonStep 1: Sket...

As the weather gets colder and the holiday season begins, you may find yourself spending extra time indoors with more time off than usual. To beat the winter blues and brighten someone's day, try our eco-friendly pine cone card tutorial, featuring our Earth & Mineral Pigments!Supplies: Earth & Mineral Pigments (we used Emerald Green, Ultramarine Blue, Venetian Red, Orange Ochre, and Natural Gold Mica)Paint binder of your c...

December 5th is World Soil Day! We celebrate this day annually to raise awareness about the importance of healthy soil and advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources. "Soil salinization and sodification are major soil degradation processes threatening ecosystem and are recognized as being among the most important problems at a global level for agricultural production, food security and sustainability in arid and semi-arid regi...

Looking for eco-friendly gifts for the littles in your life? Ahead of the holiday rush, we've rounded up our top 10 eco-favorites for kids of all ages. Get your holiday shopping done early and protect Mother Earth, too! Plus, our earth-conscious gift guide partners have graciously provided a few coupon codes for our Natural Earth Paint family–check them out below! Happy holidays!Christmas Stories Stamps by AilefoThis stamp set...

Thanksgiving is a beautiful time to gather with loved ones and share our gratitude over a delicious meal. Make your Thanksgiving table just as beautiful with this Painted Pumpkin Thanksgiving Centerpiece!Supplies:Natural Gouache Base or Natural Acrylic MediumEarth & Mineral Pigments (we used Orange Ochre, Yellow Ochre, Natural Gold Mica, and Emerald Green)Wooden boxPaintbrushes and paint palette *You can purchase your wood...

The Complete Eco-friendly Oil Paint Kit was featured in FiveADRIFT's Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for the Holidays blog post!Read the full blog post here. "The holiday season is a time when people express their joys, values, and aspirations with the people they care about most. But with an increasing awareness of the environmental damages caused by our consumerist culture, it can be hard to know the balance when fulfilling everyone’s holiday...

In an effort to spread the word about the incredible organizations we give back to and the work they're accomplishing, we're continuing our Giving Spotlight blog series. This month's spotlight is on the spectacular Prime Earth."By helping you develop personal habits for success & deepening your connection to the beautiful planet we share with others, our programs will transform your life to help you transform the world.We are anthropolog...

Looking for an eco-friendly way to make use of your old Halloween pumpkins, or craving a little crafting in your life? Look no further than The Barefoot Babies' Pumpkin Stamps, using out Natural Earth Paint Kit!"STOP!! Before you compost your pumpkins, turn them into stamps! I cut mine into geometric shapes for a bit of early math and pattern learning, but you could just as easily cut yours into letters or faces.What type of pumpkin stamps w...

Our friends at Wild Earth Babe created a lovely scented play dough recipe with our Natural Earth Paint, perfect for the oncoming autumn months!"This is such a quick and simple recipe to make and in no time you will have your own (large) batch of handmade playdough, using a few ingredients you can swap around to create different scents. This recipe has a beautiful orange and cinnamon scent, coloured with Natural Earth Paint, perfect...

So you've got your hands on some Earth & Mineral Pigments, or maybe even foraged your own. Congratulations! But how do you know which binder to use with them?There's a variety of natural binders and mediums out there, and so the real answer is, there is no single right answer––it all depends on context. We've outlined the details of our favorites below (in no particular order), so you can make the right choice for you!Gum ArabicOur ...

Earth pigments have been used around the world from the earliest cultures of India, Africa and Australia all the way up to the present day. The oldest human artworks we’ve discovered were made with earth pigments 250,000 years ago and the same materials have been used by every culture and on every continent since then. A recent discovery of an earth pigment paint making factory in a South African cave was dated at 100,000 years old.Call...

Thanks so much, Katie, for taking the time to speak with us about your sustainable painting journey!Could you please tell us a little bit about your personal history that led you to painting? How did you first learn to oil paint? I have been painting since I was a child. In fact, my aunt and uncle still have a painting from when I was eight years old hanging in their house, which warms my heart and fills me with embarrassment simultaneously. For...

Many artists will tell you that making and sharing art are good for your health, but these claims are also substantially backed by science. Art is proven to help us:relieve stress, develop critical thinking skills, improve our memory, and explore our identities (1). These benefits can be heightened when natural materials are incorporated into your practice (4). Earth-based materials are grounding for artists and their audiences and help individua...

In an effort to spread the word about the incredible organizations we give back to and the work they're accomplishing, we're continuing our Giving Spotlight blog series. This month's spotlight is on the extraordinary PSARTS."Our StoryP.S. ARTS was created in response to significant education budget cuts in the 1970s and 1980s, which cut local tax revenues for public schools and resulted in the systematic reduction and elimination of arts pro...

Our two-part blog series, Toxin-Free Tuesday, covers the parallel stories of our social platform manager Kate and our founder Leah, whose disappointing experiences with conventional paint companies inspired their work with Natural Earth Paint. Wrapping up this short series, we hear from Leah!Leah's Story"As a new mom of a toddler and a health-conscious artist, I went to a local toy store to buy my son his first art supplies. Every kit said “non-t...