Toxic Art
Dir. Jason Whalen | 16 min | 2025
Synopsis
Acid mine drainage is a pervasive problem in American Appalachia, poisoning streams and killing wildlife.
The technology and funding to remove these pollutants and bring life back to streams just didn't exist, that is until fine art painter and professor John Sabraw rallied a team to address the issue in their local stream and developed a breakthrough process to upcycle pollutants into paint pigments.
It's amazing what humans are capable of when their actions are relentlessly committed, creative and cooperative.
Toxic Art - Official Trailer
Director: Jason Whalen / Rivers are Life | Midland, MIJason Whalen is the Co-Founder of Fauna Creative, a production company out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. With a focus on conservation storytelling, Fauna is dedicated to using art and stories to advance biodiversity conservation efforts.Featuring: John Sabraw | Athens, OHAn activist and environmentalist, Sabraw’s paintings, drawings and collaborative installations are produced in an eco conscious manner, and he continually works toward a fully sustainable practice. He collaborates with scientists on many projects, and one of his current collaborations involves creating paint and paintings from iron oxide extracted in the process of remediating polluted streams. Sabraw is a Professor of Art at Ohio University where he is Chair of the Painting + Drawing program, and Board Advisor at Scribble Art Workshop in New York.
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