Sustainable Watercolors: Beam Paints

During a September visit to New York we visited The Whitney, and of course had to exit via the gift shop.  Everything is always lovely in art museum gift shops, but a particular display caught my eye.

Little round watercolors and some intriguing cut branches with circular wells to hold six of the paints. I was mesmerized by them all as objects but didn't buy any that day. I made a note of the manufacturer: Beam paints. 

The website is full of eye candy. A wonderful article about the company by the artist-founder, Anong Migwans Beam is here. Her father was artist Carl Beam, and her mother is artist Ann Beam. You can read about both and see images at Beam Art Projects.

My first order was for six paintstones and a little sugar maple branch holder/palette: Blueberry Mountain; Strawberry Red; Spring Green; Fall Poplar Yellow; Wintery Night (ethical mica);  Dreamers Gold (ethical mica). It came with a sample of Great Ocean (blue) on a little card, that I liked but misplaced. 

The paints are creamy and mix well, made with "lightfast pigments, gum arabic, and Manitoulin maple sap." Manitoulin is an island on the Canada side of Lake Huron.

I have been enjoying drawing and painting in my journal, a [Amazon affiliate link] Stillman & Birn, hardbound Alpha series, A4, 8.25 x 11.75. The thick paper takes water media very well. 

What is "ethical mica," you ask? According to the Beam website: "In the Mica industry there are allegations of child labour and unsafe mining practice. In response we have sourced our Mica from Hartwell Georgia USA."

The second order (because of course there was going to be a second order) was for another six paintstones: Robins Egg (gouche); Great Ocean; Boreal Green; Graphite; Pumpkin; Orca (ethical mica). These came wrapped in printed waxed linen. Beam Paints is an Indigenous, woman-owned, "plastic-free" company.

Orca is a light gray with mica included; Graphite is a darker gray that can be mixed with any of the darker blues to get black. Beam sells travel and other brushes, but I already had a very nice travel brush bought years ago: an Isabey Travel Sable 6201, size 4. A friend was delighted to make me another holder for the new paints, this one out of walnut.

I can mix quite a bit with this collection.

Below: I keep my pens, pencils, and brush in the typographic bird drawstring bag I made. Here is how the second set of paintstones was shipped (I've rewrapped them for the photo). My travel brush is shown again, this time it is extended (the cap is on the back). Three dishes I use for water and palettes I bought from Daiso for $1.29 each. The second sample on a card was grasshopper yellow. The free samples are a nice touch. 

I have a kind of traveling kit as well.

Six paintstones fit in this circular tin with the clear top, and the tin fits into my drawstring bag. I can also carry the littlest porcelain dish in the bag as well.

Beam also sells letterpress printed cards with sample paints for hand coloring, paints in seashells, paints for kids, and many more items to explore. Shipping is free. 

Happy Painting, in whatever way you choose!