So, this evening I attended a discussion held by our friend, Blue Crump, of Cityspace Construction at the new Whole Foods in Short Pump. I’ve been wanting to catch one of his classes for some time now, and he did a great job teaching attendees about residential solar options to help offset energy consumption (and costs). His presentations are down-to-earth and make green construction and renovation concepts easy to understand. Blue offers free classes there and at Ellwood Thompson’s to share green ideas with homeowners throughout the Richmond area.

Feel free to visit the Cityspace website for more information on this business and their free educational classes.

We’re excited to share with you that Richmond now has its first green retail home-improvement store, EcoLogic!

EcoLogic is located at 1606 W. Main Street in the Uptown district of Richmond, and carries a variety of beautiful products available for making your home a better and healthier place. Among the products carried at EcoLogic are natural linoleum, salvaged hardwood flooring, cork flooring, soapstone and slate countertops, PaperStone countertops (yes, they’re made from paper), recycled glass tile, eco-friendly paints and earth plasters (our favorite, American Clay), and LED lighting.

At Dramatic Changes, we use AFM Safecoat products and American Clay, and we are thrilled that Fred and Stephanie have chosen to carry them in their store. These great products deserve all the attention they can get! For more information on EcoLogic, feel free to stop in their store for a tour, or you can visit their website here.

I received an email today from the James River Green Building Council that referenced a recent article published July 18th on Richmond.com. It talks about the practicality of making our homes “green”, and whether or not it really is cost-effective. Many of the people I talk to feel like making their homes eco-friendly is unaffordable. Additionally, much of what we hear on the news talks about what’s happening in other parts of the country. What’s happening here in Virginia? This article references several local professionals who are working to make green buildings a reality for homes and business spaces alike.

For resources and supplies for making your home a healthier place to live, consider a visit to EcoLogic, a green home supply store that’s slated to open in mid-August on Main Street in the City of Richmond.

I was recently introduced to an organization that brings issues related to sustainability and eco-friendly living called Back Porch Initiatives. As you’ll see on their site, Back Porch is a non-profit organization working with communities to cultivate local responses to the national and global issue of energy consumption. The Back Porch team is committed to collaborating with communities on existing resources, leveraging new ideas, and developing practical, economical and environmental solutions.

Back Porch has extended an invitation for us to present during one of their weekly community conversations on Monday, July 21st, 2008. We’ll be speaking about healthy paint options available here in Richmond, and will also likely discuss the local green-building resources. We will be at Globehopper Coffeehouse at 2100 E. Main Street in Richmond’s historic Church Hill. This event is free and open to the public.

If you aren’t free to attend this coming Monday’s conversation, please know that Back Porch holds these talks every Monday evening from 7-8 pm at Globehopper.

When considering new additions to your home decor, consider supporting a local artist:

Last year during a trip to local coffee shop Stir Crazy, I was awestruck by an art installation featuring mobiles made out of (among other things) recycled teabags, candle wax, and bamboo. Since then, I’ve been a huge fan of the artist, Dale Keator. It turns out that she’s featured again this month in the same location. Do yourself a favor — Take some time to visit Stir Crazy, grab a tasty beverage (I recommend the ginseng peppermint tea), pull up a comfy chair and admire the beauty of her work. Dale’s pieces vary in size from just a few inches to spanning an entire wall. Here is a statement from Dale about her teabag collages to give you a sense of the energy behind her work:

My artwork is a collaborative effort. The teabags; having had a previous life from perhaps an endearing conversation, a thoughtful quiet moment, or a relaxing sigh of relief from a hectic day, help to create the calming charm that is intended for my pieces. All of the teabags are saved and “gifted” to me, by friends. It is friends that started the momentum on this “project”, which actually started as a result 9/11 and realizing the importance of friendships. Every teabag paper is different, much the way people and relationships are.

I would like the viewer to enjoy the experience of the teabags by watching the movement, smelling the tea particles left on the papers, listening to the sounds as the sewn strands of teabags gently touch each other.

The tea, the tags, the string, the staples, and of course the papers…all are used in making my pieces. And all are used to evoke compassion.

Dale Keator is a sculptural collage artist whose work is created from recycled tea bags. Her work has a zen like quality that inspires it’s viewers to “slow down” and experience its gentle movements. She holds a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, has worked with the Children’s Museum of Richmond and taught for the Neighborhood School of the Arts. She has had two recent shows at Lift Coffee Shop and Stir Crazy Café. Dale says that her work is absolutely a “labor of love” and continues to enjoy collecting tea bags from very loyal tea drinkers.

To learn more about this great local artist’s work, feel free to contact her at sewsart@yahoo.com.

Farida Hughes - “Lasso”

Okay, I know we’re a painting company. What do art and food have to do with paint? Everything! Color…Beautiful decor…Inspired interiors! We hope these diversions from paint will offer some helpful ideas for beautifying your home.

Last Sunday I attended an art opening at Zed Cafe, a great restaurant located in Richmond’s Northside neighborhood. It was a real treat to munch on delicious locally-grown organic food as I enjoyed the sights of artist Farida Hughes modern paintings.

Owner Lisa Granger has been the proud owner of Zed and salon next door, Body Zen Soul since 2006. Both spaces are characterized by rich, earthy colors and a variety of nature-inspired elements. As you’ll read on their website, Zed brings a unique flavor to the area serving responsibly sourced meats and local products. It is the first restaurant of its kind in the Richmond area. CIA trained Executive Chef Bill Foster works directly with local farmers and cattleman to create his seasonally inspired menus.

Pick an evening and head over to Zed’s. I recommend Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, when they offer three course meals and half-priced bottles of wine.

In our business, We find ourselves addressing this topic all the time. We go to someone’s house, listen to them describe their needs, and we provide them an estimate based on what painting needs to be done in their home. Homeowners often ask, “What kind of paint do you use”? Here are a couple of important things to consider…

Whether you’re having your home painted professionally or doing it yourself, we encourage you to choose paint that meets the following criteria:

- eco-friendly

- excellent quality (I know, it sounds like a no-brainer)

- can be purchased from a local business

Consider shopping at Eco Supply, Power of Color, EcoLogic, or Virginia Paint Company. Their healthy paint options perform as well if not better than their traditional competitors. They’re reasonably priced, often costing the same as a reputable brand. Best of all, by buying from these local businesses, you’re supporting our local economy. It’s a win-win situation.

As we all know, Richmond is a town that loves its art. If you haven’t visited yet, consider dropping by the Glave Kocen Gallery at 1620 W. Main Street one afternoon. The owners, Jennifer and BJ, are drawn to artwork which inspires, invigorates and relaxes the viewer. Their current exhibit, entitled Color as Light, features work by local artist Laura Loe, is a vibrant, colorful collection that’s sure to leave an impression. In addition to having a strong following as a painter, Laura also teaches out of the Virginia Museum’s Studio School and is director of the Nimrod Hall Arts Colony in Bath County. This exhibit will be on display through the end of April.

Feel free to check their website for hours and updates on other great events!