Artist Creates Charitable Sales Model

The folks over at The Endangered Species Print Project suggested I check out Christopher Reiger's artwork and philosophy on selling art. I did, and I'm very impressed. Christopher donates 40% to 50% of the sales price of his work to one of four non-profit organizations, including The Wildlands Network.  Here's what he says on his website about his efforts:

"I am compelled to create artwork, but I am also committed to volunteerism and community participation. I contribute to non-profit groups and volunteer for conservation projects, but my sustained happiness requires so much time in the studio as to preclude significant action in other spheres. How can my paintings and drawings, fine art objects traded in a luxury market, exist in accord with my hopeful ideology? More specifically, how can I earn a living and connect my art to progressive efforts?
In the fall of 2008, I decided to contribute a significant percentage of every art sale to non-profit organizations that are working to redress environmental and social ails. By generating money for important causes through the sale of my artwork, I can act in proxy; the long hours in the studio can be connected to the spirit of the art and to the greater community..."

Check out his artwork and read more about his philosophy on his website.

Image above: Cost Benefit Analysis, by Christopher Reiger

Christie's Art Auction for Earth Day

Speaking of benefit art auctions (see previous post), this is pretty interesting news: Christie's, the renowned art auction house, will be holding a high-profile benefit art auction to mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Here's some info from their press release:

Christie’s International, the world’s leading art business, announces “A Bid to Save the Earth” Green Auction. This first-of-its-kind charity auction will take place on April 22, 2010 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. The Evening Sale event will be held at Christie’s, Rockefeller Center, New York and be carried live globally via Christie’s LIVE™. Proceeds from the sale will be divided among four leading not-for-profit environmental organizations: Conservation International, Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Central Park Conservancy...
 
Christie’s is partnering with Charitybuzz, the leading destination for online charity benefit auctions, to present a companion silent auction which will be hosted at www.ABidtoSavetheEarth.org. Christie’s will waive all fees and commissions for the auction. Native Energy, a leader in carbon offsetting, will provide carbon offsets for the entire Green Auction.

Although none of the cool artwork is within my budget, I think it's wonderful that Christie's is helping raise awareness of environmental issues and funding some great organizations. The catalog of items being auctioned is here.

Image above: Gray Barn in a Yellow Woods, oil on canvas, by Wolf Kahn. Starting bid on Christie's auction: $8,000

Auction to Benefit Land Trust

I just launched the eBay auction of my framed Sego Lily photograph to benefit Colorado Open Lands. The auction ends on Earth Day (April 22), and I'll be donating 100% of the winning bid to this great land trust. This is the second year I'm holding an Earth Day auction, and I'm hoping this one raises even more money than last year's!

Sego Lily is one of my favorite images. It won Best of Show at the 2008 Colorado Triple Crown exhibit at Flash Gallery in Lakewood, CO. Like all the botanical images in my Found Flora collection, it's a "scanograph" -- a cameraless photograph created using a modified flatbed scanner. You can get more info and see more images in my Etsy shop. During the rest of April, 10% of ALL sales from my Etsy shop will also be donated to Colorado Open Lands.

I'd like to give as much money and publicity as possible to Colorado Open Lands, so I hope you'll pass the auction info on to anyone you know who might be interested in acquiring some new artwork AND supporting a great cause!

Image above: Sego Lily by Brenda Biondo. Click here to go to the eBay auction of the piece.

Glacier Photographs, benefiting Heal the Bay

There are just a few days left for the exhibit, but if you happen to be in Santa Monica this week, check out some amazing photographs of glaciers at Gallery 169. The huge images -- they're 4 by 6 feet -- were taken during a trip to Antartica by photographer Tatiana Botton. 20% of proceeds from sales during the exhibit will be donated to Heal the Bay, a nonprofit working to protect the coastal waters and watersheds of Southern California. The gallery is open by appointment only, so make sure to call ahead.

Image above by Tatiana Botton.

Endangered Species Print Project

I recently heard about a unique and compelling way that two artists came up with to raise funds for organizations helping endangered species. It's called The Endangered Species Print Project , and it offers limited-edition art prints of critically endangered species with 100% of the proceeds donated to help threatened animals. From their website:

The number of prints available corresponds with the remaining animal or plant populations. For example, only 45 Amur Leopards remain in the wild, so for this edition, only 45 prints will ever be made. A different organization, whose mission is to the ensure the survival of the species depicted, is chosen for each print. 100% of the sales of ESPP prints are donated to these conservation organizations.

Several artists have contributed original artwork to the effort. Definitely worth checking out.

Image above: Vancouver Island Marmot, by Molly Schafer via The Endangered Species Print Project

Cosa Verde Website: Supporting Green Art

I recently became a member of Cosa Verde, a great website that highlights eco-friendly art and handmade goods. You can browse items by different categories, then follow the links to the artists' own online shops. I really like the concept: the people behind Cosa Verde not only focus attention on sustainably produced products, but they plant ten trees for every new shop opened, and donate 10% of sellers' fees to a charities of the sellers' choice. (I chose Rainforest Alliance to benefit from my Cosa Verde shop.)

The products I decided to feature on Cosa Verde are my botanical scanographs in beautiful frames made from upcycled kitchen cabinet doors (see photo above). I bought the cabinet doors (mostly samples, so they were in great shape) from the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I really like the idea of finding new uses for no-longer-needed materials, and I love supporting Habitat for Humanity.

Image above: Sego Lily in upcycled wood frame, by Brenda Biondo

Donating the Use of Images

A lot of artists like myself donate art for organizations to auction off at benefit galas or to use in some similar way. Another way I see artists contributing to causes they believe in is by donating an image for use in publications, invitations, etc. For example, Frank Biondo, who just happens to be my dad, has provided his cowboy images to the Desert Foothills Land Trust in Arizona for several years for use in their gala invitations and programs. The land trust gets some eye-catching graphics and my dad gets some great exposure for his art.

Do you know of other artists who use their work to support environment, conservation or wildlife organizations? Feel free to email me information about them -- I might feature them in an upcoming post.

Photo: "Above It All," by Frank Biondo

The Working Proof

I recently discovered a wonderful website that features artwork benefiting a whole bunch of different non-profits. It's called The Working Proof, and 15% of sales are donated to various charities. There's a different artist featured each week. Here's how they describe themselves:

The Working Proof seeks to promote art and social responsibility. Each print is paired with a charity of the artist's choice, to which we are donating 15% of the sale of each print - creating what we believe to be a product with not just aesthetic, but social value. Besides showcasing emerging artists and great artwork, the intent of the Working Proof is to promote a variety of charities and to expose them to new supporters through the appreciation of art and creativity.

Make sure to check out the "This Land is Your Land" print by Amy Ruppel, benefiting American Forests.

Image above: "This Land is Your Land," by Amy Ruppel, via The Working Proof

Book to Benefit Land Trusts

Speaking of land trusts, I could think of no better way to launch this blog than with a focus on acclaimed photographer John Fielder and his work supporting land trusts and the preservation of ranches in my beautiful home state of Colorado. John's most recent book, Ranches of Colorado, features 375 stunning photographs of 50 of Colorado's most beautiful family-owned working cattle ranches. A portion of the royalties from each book sold goes to the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, Colorado Open Lands, and the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts. See his website for more info and lots of beautiful images!

Donating 10% of My Sales

For the month of April, I'll be donating 10% of sales from my Etsy shop to Colorado Open Lands, a great state-wide land trust. I love the work that land trusts do, helping landowners to keep and preserve their land in its natural state. I've been a strong supporter of land trusts ever since working years ago as an editorial assistant at the Land Trust Alliance, the national organization of land trusts. There's a ton of good info on their website if you want to learn more.

Image above: Starry False Solomon's Seal, scanograph by Brenda Biondo, available for purchase at EarthPlusArt.etsy.com.

Welcome to Earth Plus Art

Welcome to the Earth Plus Art blog. This is day one. I'm excited about this new way to combine my two passions -- art and the environment. I'm really looking forward to discovering some great artists and hearing about how they use their talents to benefit environmental causes. In the next few weeks, I'll be featuring several artists who donate a percentage of their sales to their favorite eco-causes. I'm also planning to eventually focus on more unusual and creative ways that artists are raising money and/or exposure for various organizations. Feel free to comment with suggestions of artists and organizations to feature in the future!

Image above: Thistle #3, scanograph by Brenda Biondo, available for purchase atEarthPlusArt.etsy.com