British artist Beth Evans paints wildlife of all sorts, from tigers to turtles and coral reefs, she paints them on receipts she has found or made from her own purchases. The receipt paintings remind people that each purchase they make has the opportunity to affect wildlife somewhere down the product’s life cycle. The painting’s message cautions that whether these purchases bring positive or negative effects towards wildlife is entirely up to those making the purchases. The pieces encourage people to do everything from buying from sustainable brands to ensuring that they properly dispose of their harmful wastes. This is why Beth Evans’ receipt paintings are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Responsible Consumption and Production, Life on Land and Life Below Water.
Evans’ wildlife receipt paintings are highly detailed despite their miniature size. The realism that viewers can perceive directly impacts their consciousness, making them understand that their purchases are impacting real animals that share the planet with them.
For example, one receipt from Tottingworth Farm, a traditional family-run butcher, has had a realistic painting of a cow added onto it, instantly reminding people that they are purchasing the meat of a creature that once lived and was slaughtered for their food. This piece can be read as an endorsement of Tottingworth Farm’s humane practices, considering the widespread cruelty and exploitation of cows, calves, steers and humans alike in the beef industry.
Another receipt from Nekta, a flowers and garden furniture shop, depicts a detailed honey-bee mid-flight. Supporting small florists, who bring a variety of flowers and plants to the area, is recognized as one of the easiest ways people can support the livelihood of honeybees. This is especially helpful in the United Kingdom, considering how a study carried out by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Buglife found that British bees are currently threatened with extinction because of climate change. Seventeen bee species have already gone extinct from the east of England, despite them being worth a staggering £690 million per year in the UK economy, thanks to their contributions to agriculture.
Another receipt, from Out of Africa, an ethically sourced Kenyan crafts and giftwares shop, portrays hyper-realistic elephants. Out of Africa focuses on empowering Kenyan crafters by directly sourcing their giftware from ethical individual workshops and designers. They also donate a portion of their profits to organizations such as the Christian African Relief Trust (CART) and Project Chance Africa, which work towards providing quality education for children and young adults in impoverished communities. As Evans’ receipt painting alludes, efforts done by Out of Africa give Kenyans alternative sources of income that can deter elephant poachers and in turn, help save the local African elephant population.
These are only a few of the implications behind Beth Evans’ receipt paintings. They tend to show the positive impacts of certain purchases she’s made, encouraging others to make similar contributions for the longevity of certain wildlife species.
Find out more about receipt paintings by Beth Evans and their other pieces by checking their Instagram on @b.evansdesigns.