A letter.

I got a kind of nasty message a few weeks ago on instagram. I asked the person to email me, as my fingers and thumbs are too slow to thoughtfully respond. I’m not publishing this person’s name, or their messages to me (at this moment), as I’m not interested in that. The basic message was that I made trash, literally trash. As the message was in combat mode, maybe just as a PSA, or to protect myself I’m showing here my response in full, same day as I responded to the follow up email I got from this person last night.

Thanks for writing (insert name here:).

I understand the idea of what you are writing, but I believe it's a bit mis-directed. My best guess, is that you are targeting anyone who makes anything using plastic. Although I strive to be better, and be better to the earth, I do also feel very good about what I do. 

So here's a little about me, and some info about plastics.

I am an artist. I started making my living as an artist full time in 2000, and I've been doing this thing with toys and sculptures since 2005. The pieces I make will never end up in the trash. Nobody spends $30-$300 on a single piece to throw it in the trash. If we use the Happy meal toy analogy, yes, toys made for fast food companies will at some point end up in the trash.

In my entire lifetime, I will produce for myself and my fans, what is made in an hour, for any one, fast food company. And mine will not end up in the trash.

Sometimes I do rescue old cheap toys though, and reuse them in my art.

Maybe you don't like the esthetic, and that plastic is used to make my creations, but for the people who collect my work, it's night and day. Mass produced ANYTHING vs a short run artist edition.

How my toys are made. These toys are produced by adult craftsmen and women in Japan. My runs (the amount of toys made at a single time) range from 5 pieces to 50. Any waste gets used to make other things. This is not what you traditionally think of as a factory. They can make from start to finish about 10-15 pieces in an hour. Often they just pull the vinyl (make the pieces), and then I spend 2 hours to a full day trimming and assembling here at my studio. All the trim gets saved. I then use the trim to make more art, along with beach trash, and other found bits that I re-assemble into sculptures.

I agree, too much trash, too much plastic becoming waste and trash. I'm sure you already know this. Most of the micro plastics in the ocean comes from Health and Beaty products, and byproduct from detergents. The largest polluter on the earth is apparel. Throw away clothes, and micro beads being washed down the drain.

I agree that I can do better, and I am always trying. I appreciate you reaching out, and thank you.

Best.

Bwana.