Green Art Supplies Never Looked So Gray

March 19, 2011

Green is the color of the earth, peaceful and harmonic, but some days I just feel Torrit Gray.

Each year Gamblin Artists Colors give away tubes and tubes of artists’ oil paint. In one color. Torrit Gray. If you’re the artsy-craftsy type then you already know that art supplies, as a general rule, can be pretty toxic stuff. As artists, we have to take precautions with our materials, but imagine if you were the manufacturer of these materials and had to deal with the large scale handling and disposal of the toxic chemicals that go into making the stuff of our dreams.

With this is mind, I’d like to say kudos to Gamblin Artists Colors, a manufacturer of artists’ oil paints. Based in Oregon, this privately owned company does a fine turn for artists, their employees and the earth by capturing and recycling pigment dust that is created all year long through their manufacturing process. Rather than toss the toxic pigments into landfills or the water stream, Gamblin uses their filtration system to capture pigment from the myriad of oil paints that they manufacture each year. The filtered pigments are then recycled into a new paint and distributed for free. Yes, FREE. Each spring, in celebration of Earth Day, Gamblin gives away tubes and tubes of Torrit Gray.

Why is the paint gray?
Every artist knows that when you mix all of your colors together you’ll inevitably come out with one singular color… gray. The hue may vary, based on the colors that are mixed. That is why, Gamblin’s recycled paint, named Torrit Gray (after its filtration system) is always gray, but never the same shade. The color of gray depends largely on which colors were produced the most that year. Gamblin now codes the paint tubes by date, so that artists can collect the different years and shades of paint.

Paint with Torrit Gray for Challenge and Competition!
Gamblin offers a competition for painters who accept the challenge of painting only with gray, black and white. Monochromatic painting, or a painting executed in values of one color hue, is a terrific exercise in skill and creativity. Artists who compete in the Gamblin sponsored competition can win a stash of art supplies as well as national recognition. Some of the previous years paintings are pretty outstanding. I am not an oil painter (barely an oil paint dabbler), however, I think this year it would be fun to give this a try. (In my spare time, right?) Would you like to join me? To get your own tube of free paint visit your nearest fine art supply dealer. In Birmingham, I believe Forstall Art Center is offering “buy a tube of Gamblin and get a tube of Torrit Gray free”.  So, come on…. give it a try. I’ll post mine, if you’ll post yours…..

Filed under: art,Inspiration,recycle,Uncategorized