Why “Heliotrope”?

heliotropism (noun): the diurnal or seasonal motion of flowers or leaves growing towards the sun.

the heliotropic effect (coll.):

1. the hypothesis that societies, cultures, groups, and individuals work towards the most positive image they hold of themselves.

2. the impact that one person’s positive energy can have on a group

3. purposeful positive imagination

Our commitment:

I am a visual artist who works daily with wood products. I am a tree planter who has worked in resource industries for nearly a decade in paper mill towns. I have spent years grappling with my own personal impact on the environment, and have worked hard to align my business values to reduce my impact as much as possible and use post-consumer materials. I recognize that it is not possible to exist in the world as a living creature without consuming, and it is not possible to work as an artist or a writer in the modern world without having some ecological impact; however, in my practice, I am doing my best to keep my footprint as low as possible.

Tangible action in my practice takes the form of donations to causes such as RAVEN Trust and Plant 4 Pemba. It also means that I continue to listen, learn, and educate myself about colonialism, racialized violence, and the lived experiences of people and communities beyond my own experience. I believe that a better world is possible.