About Me

Hi everyone, I'm Atlas. I’m an independent traditional artist located in the Blue Mountains, Australia. I started oil painting at the end of 2017 and I have loved every moment of my journey!

History

I knew I wanted to be an artist since a very young age. I used to draw all of the time and ended up grabbing some art awards in highschool. When I graduated, I was determined to make fantasy art, but make a living too. So I got a Bachelor of Animation and started working at an animation studio for a few years. I left when I realised that I didn’t want to create someone else’s vision. So I did freelancing for a while, mainly working on indie board games and children’s book illustration. I had more flexibility, but in the end, I was still creating someone else’s vision. Now I’m painting whatever floats into my head and I’m having a great time doing it!

Earth Friendly Art

All of my art is made with sustainable materials wherever possible. I also make all of my art without any animal products. Here are some examples of traditional oil painting tools and supplies, and the alternatives I use:

• Solvents used for oil painting, like turpentine and mineral spirits, are very bad for the environment. I use Natural Earth Paint’s Eco-Solve as a non-toxic plant-based brush cleaner and paint thinner, as it doesn’t pollute soil or waterways.

• All of the “plastics” that I have are biodegradable and compostable. This includes my sticky tape and cellophane bags. Nothing will be sitting in a landfill forever.

• Traditional brushes are made by trapping animals such as mongooses, sables, badgers, ferrets, hogs, and wolves. I use only high-quality synthetic brushes which I keep in good condition to preserve as long as possible.

• When I’m not painting alters, I paint on reclaimed wooden boards, recycled heavy cardstock, or second hand canvases, to save trees and minimise waste. When I make prints are also all made of recycled cardstock. Traditionally, canvas have been primed using glue made from rabbit skin.

• Some paints and mediums use animal products, like animal fat and bones. I select my paints carefully for quality and kindness in mind.

• When I need frames, I use of Mulbury, a Melbourne based company who uses reclaimed wood to make furniture. Saving trees, reducing landfill waste, and creating beautiful and unique looks.

• I’m always looking for better and safer supplies for my art and I encourage customers, and my fellow artists, to consider their impact on the world when making their choices.