Creative Development Series: Sustainable Art Painting

Free, RSVP required

Yoon Jung Choi PhD, Virginia Tech Assistant Professor of Industrial Design, School of Design

The United States wastes nearly 60 million tons of food annually—almost 40% of the entire food supply—with fruits and vegetables making up a significant portion. But what if we could turn this challenge into an opportunity for creativity and innovation? Virginia Tech has developed a unique process to transform fruit and vegetable food waste into vibrant art pigments. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to repurpose discarded food into sustainable materials, sparking creativity while fostering environmental responsibility. Join us to explore how waste can have new life and purpose, inspiring sustainable practices both at work and in everyday life.

Come ready to paint. The workshop ends at 12:30pm.

Following the workshop, 12:30-1pm, participants are encouraged to attend a studio discussion at the Art Center in the studio of Saya Behnam, mixed media artist, painter, and sculpture using natural colors from plants, flowers, minerals and pigments. View her work and learn about her processes for creating natural pigment.

Host or Publisher City of Alexandria Office of the Arts