Artist Ford Smith “Goes Green”

Artist Ford Smith doing his part for the Green Movement

Ford Smith Fine Art recently discovered that "going green" came naturally to their artist and their business. To begin with, internationally acclaimed artist Ford Smith's subject matter is famous for celebrating the earth and it’s vibrant, optimistic nature. His abstract interpretations of trees and reflective waters were an obvious tribute, but upon closer examination of their business, there was much more that demonstrated their decidedly green outlook. They realized that being "green" has been their way of life for years. In almost every area of their company - including art and office supplies, marketing programs, shipping, charities and more, the signs of a green organization were everywhere. Ford Smith Fine Art includes two Ford Smith Galleries (Roswell, GA and Santa Fe, NM), a publishing business that sells his art to galleries around the world, and the artist himself. All are testament to the notion that the arts can also participate in ensuring a cleaner environment.

"We evaluated our practices and we were surprised how much we were already doing! We have always been conservationists." Cristi Smith says, wife and co-owner of Ford Smith Fine Art. Beginning with the paint Ford uses to create his contemporary landscapes: acrylic paint is more environmentally friendly than oil-based paint -and has lower level of hydrocarbon emissions with it. Ford uses Liquitex, which was the first paint to be labelled for ASTM standards, for toxicity, quality and light fastness. In addition to being green, Liquitex has been a leader in promoting arts education and in developing programs in support of the arts community.

When producing the limited edition fine art prints, all of Ford Smith's giclee inks and coatings are solvent free and only use water-based environmentally friendly products. Additionally, our giclee printer is a member of SGIA and is 100% VOC free. Further, all of Ford Smith giclees are created from Torino canvases produced by the highly environmentally conscious, Intellicoat. Their Environmental Philosophy has among the highest standards of waste reduction, solid waste management, and air management in the industry. In 2001, Ford’s art supplier, Blick Art Materials, made a public commitment to being energy efficient and environmentally friendly, and he has been purchasing his art materials from them exclusively.

Personally, Ford actively limits his paint waste. He keeps his palette covered in between uses so it stays fresh and ready when he returns to the canvas. Part of Ford's painting style is to paint several paintings at once, this allows him to use the excess from one painting as the background for the next. To save canvases, Ford will often re-evaluate past, unfinished paintings he had set aside and reinvents them into new masterpieces.

In the offices of Ford Smith Fine Art, the staff uses recycled paper, and has significantly reduced their dependence on paper in general. From a marketing perspective, most of their correspondence travels via the Internet, and e-mailing clients high-resolution images for viewing outside the gallery. They changed their practice of direct mailing their database for events and promotions to targeted e-mail, as well.

"People who built eco-friendly homes would be particularly interested in their art adhering to their environmental principles," Cristi Smith says, "and Ford’s green philosophy and subject matter is a natural consideration."

The physical structure of the Ford Smith Galleries also participated by overall reducing their energy consumption by turning off lights when gallery traffic is slow or the gallery is closed, using heating and cooling just when necessary (leaving doors open instead), and turning computers off at night. Everyone vigilantly saves and reuses their packing and shipping materials for future art shipments.

The company is partnering with the Chattahoochee Nature Center for the second year by donating an original painting and a limited edition work of art for the "Night Out With Nature" live auction benefiting the newly constructed Discovery Center on the banks of the famed Chattahoochee river in Atlanta, GA. Local politicians (including US Senator Johny Isakson) will be in attendance to raise awareness to preserve nature at this local level. This impressive, environmentally friendly Discovery Center promotes a greater understanding of the river’s ecology and the importance of preserving its wildlife to the community.

For more information, please visit www.picturethisgallery.com or contact us