Sue Prince Artist Sustainability Statement
I tell stories of people and their places using mostly natural materials and I want to reduce the environmental impact of my business on people and places.
I am based at Beechenhill Farm, my family’s former organic farm. in January 2024 we planted 4,777 native species trees to form an open canopy woodland on 10 acres of the farmland to the north of the farmhouse.
You can check out the Beechenhill’s ethos here. But for the work I do in my studio, gallery and my art business my sustainability efforts are explained below:
Fuel and power
- I display my work in the Haybarn Gallery at Beechenhill
- My gallery and studio have underfloor heating from our big biomass boiler.
- The studio has triple and double glazed windows to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer. I have big warm curtains for use on very windy days.
- The gallery, is in the curtilage of the Farmhouse, a listed building so windows remain single glazed. However there are double doors and big warm curtains keeping draughts out in winter.
- All my light bulbs are led and low energy.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
I reduce and reuse the following but if I can’t then I recycle
- Glass- I am collecting the little jam jars from hotel breakfasts to use for storing pigment
- Plastic bags – I reuse the plastic bags that come from the Laundry (for Beechenhill Farm tourism) to protect my paintings when they are sold.
- Envelopes and boxes – I use card envelopes and plastic free packaging to send my cards and books to purchasers.
- I no longer have cards bagged in cellophane.
- String, ribbon, wire ties – I have a draw of useful bits to use.
- Bubble wrap and packaging- I reuse these for protecting my work.
- Paper- my printer prints on both side of the paper but if only printed on one side, I reuse the other side.
- Cardboard- I cut stencils and use for packaging.
- Wood- I mostly use for our log burner
- Batteries- are rechargeable.
- Light bulbs- long life LEDs
Where I can:
- I use local suppliers- framer, printers, post office in Hartington.
- I use eco-friendly cleaning products.
- I buy in bulk- gesso and pigment in large quantities.
- I use recycled paper.
- I take card payments and pay bills by bacs, lessening trips to the bank.
- I communicate by email thus reducing paper.
- I have an electric car and use it to make multipurpose trips.
I Support
- My local community in lots of different ways: recently I created a birds eye view map of Alstonefield, prints of which were sold to residents and raised £1,750 towards the community’s Save the George Pub campaign.
- The local pilates class uses the Haybarn every Wednesday morning. Other groups and small conferences also use the Gallery and any catering is supplied by Carver Cottage, a local business in Alstonefield.
- Wetton and Alstonefield First Responders, local people trained by the ambulance service to respond immediately in emergencies. We collect funds to help them buy essential equipment. Our fund raising total at Dec 2024 was £7,896.26
- Practical Action– technology challenging poverty- a charity finding practical solutions for ordinary people living in difficult conditions
- Some of my paintings explore subjects that I want to support; sales of ‘They are us’ original and prints contributed to Save the Children Child Refugee Crisis Fund and sales of ‘Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football’ contributed to the Ashbourne Shrovetide Players Committee.
- I belong to Peak District Artisans a group of 60 professional artists and designer makers.
How do I monitor what I do?
- I am proud to have achieved The Peak District Environmental Quality Mark, they monitor my progress every year.
How do I tell my customers what I do?
- I display my Peak District Environmental Quality Mark on my printed greeting cards
- I have this page on my website
What do I need to improve?
- I need to look at the impact of framing