You may find it as a shock but we we’re a little surprised when asked to be featured in a mini blog series highlighting eco-friendly artists. I guess somewhere in our heads we had convinced ourselves that being “green” meant you had to live in a grass hut and eat organic granola all day. The whole situation made us think, what is green really? Is it something that has been defined for us by media and news, or something advertising just uses to sell more products? It really challenged us to look at what we love, and why we just might be a little more ‘green’ than we thought.

Bamboo found on the roadside and an old pair of jeans creates a perfect frame for our pole beans.

Meg and I love living in our old farmhouse and we love cultivating a simplicity of life that responds to a time when this farm house wasn’t so old. Being green back then was born out of necessity. As a farmer, in that time, money was not something you had a lot of. A tire swing was being green. You grew what you ate and being frugal (fixing things, being responsible with what you had) was a lifestyle. That was how you survived. For us, the desire to be green is not a fad, or because we love trees. It’s just plain smart. Being green is a lifestyle of responsibility that comes from the simple life we desire.

We used our old windows as cold frames for our garden. Look at that lettuce!

All of our items have been inspired by a personal challenge to reuse. What started as a response to a financial crunch has become something that has wandered into our design process. Concrete candle holders, created because we had leftover concrete and empty tea containers. Wood totes, created from collected carpet samples. The list goes on and on. Wall Pockets made from leftover wood and fabric, wine racks from old drop cloths and wood scraps. They have  all been developed from a desire to reuse, a need to create and the joy of a simpler life.

Cale's sister uses empty cat litter containers for storage. We stole her idea.

It’s the adventure I guess, the challenge of stretching ourselves beyond our everyday assumptions of what we cast aside and what we keep. We are trying to bring new light to our own process, to the why of the concrete necklaces and the tufa pots. It’s not something that consumes our life in the manner of striving to be green, it doesn’t have to be granola, and grass huts, no underwear and never driving anywhere. Green can be fun, green is sharing life, and it’s taking the time to create, instead of just taking life for granted.

From the Farm

Cale and Meg

p.s. If your near Oklahoma City this weekend join us for the Dustbowl Arts Market along with the Norman Music Festival. Hope to see you there!