Over the past few months, I have been working on a special portrait. Using reclaimed automotive and oil paints on a recycled canvas, it has been an environmental labour of love. If you haven’t heard of Dale Vince, below is a very brief summary, which, if you know me at all, may well explain why he is the perfect subject choice for me.
Based in Stroud in Gloucestershire, Dale is a well known vegan activist. He is the owner/founder of Ecotricity (the only true green energy company) and Forest Green Rovers FC– the world’s first vegan football club. He used to be a new age traveller (read more about the Battle of the Beanfield if you don’t know what this is). Dale was thinking electric racing cars long before any of us – he developed his own car “Nemesis” which broke the electric land speed record nine years ago.
As if he wasn’t impressive enough, you should also know that Dale has recently discovered a way to make diamonds from the sky. I kid you not. He is a Climate Champion for the United Nations and also now an author – during lockdown he wrote his story in “Manifesto“. Watch out for Dale in coming years, I am quite expecting big things from him.
In case you are wondering, Dale didn’t ask me to write this….nor did he commission the painting. In fact he said he didn’t have the “kind of mindset for having pictures of myself about the place”. Respect to you Dale, but thank you for supporting the idea.
Caroline
Caroline Jaine 