A Deer In Headlights
Janeen Swing is an award winning interior designer with an impressive resume that includes Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, the Hualien Ocean Park Resort in Taipei and a 35,000 square foot private residence in Beverly Park, just to name a few.
Two years ago Janeen Swing was placed in charge of collecting items for a silent auction fundraiser. Her goal was to procure furniture, lighting, art, etc. …but then came the hitch. This was no ordinary silent auction, it belonged to Jane Goodall – the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees. And with Jane being the passionate Conservationist that she is, this particular silent auction came with its own particular policies.
“Jane looked at me with those steely, blue eyes and said, ‘all items have to be eco-friendly or sustainable,’” recounts Janeen Swing. The edict came as a complete surprise. Janeen was like a deer in headlights. The inventory of items she had in mind for the event all suddenly became unusable. As a consequence the silent auction didn’t focus on furniture and pieces of art; so much as it focused on trips, eco-friendly soaps and lotions, and passes to plays.
Miva Merchant is the very best. They help their clients by their responsiveness and creativity. I feel so very confident with them – I feel it as a partnership.”
Jane Goodall’s requirement that all auction items be eco-friendly or sustainable struck a chord with Janeen. It stayed with her even after the auction had come and gone. Janeen knew of no beautiful, luxurious eco-friendly items in any of the showrooms that she used, so she decided to do something about it. One year later Janeen started EcoFirstArt, an eco-friendly/sustainable luxury website for interior designers, architects, or consumers. The business was launched in February 2011 and the website came online the same month. Miva Merchant was involved with helping the website go smoothly virtually from day one. It was a behemoth of a task, but when all was said and done, thousands of eco-friendly art pieces where on display for the world to see at https://ecofirstart.com.
“Miva Merchant is the very best. They help their clients by their responsiveness and creativity. I feel so very confident with them – I feel it as a partnership,” says Janeen. When asked what she thought was the best part of the Miva Merchant experience she replies, “Actually everything they do.”
It’s About Change
We hope to contribute to society’s changing mentality toward the disposability of objects while still promoting aesthetic appeal.”
“We hope to contribute to society’s changing mentality toward the disposability of objects while still promoting aesthetic appeal,” explains Janeen. It’s an ideal EcoFirstArt works toward with actions, not just words. Their website features everything from eco-friendly fine art, and furniture, to jewelry, accessories and apparel. The pieces are created from items such as reused products, recycled materials, and ecologically sustainable resources. They make it a point to provide an avenue for artists to deliver ecologically based art to people everywhere. They strive to support philanthropic work and encourage others to support humanitarian and ecologically oriented organizations that better the world and the lives of those within it.
Green Is Beautiful
There’s a general impression that ecologically friendly items cannot be luxurious or that they lack artistic value. One visit to EcoFirstArt and you’ll know just how incredibly untrue this is. The artists represented at EcoFirstArt produce some of the most striking, unique and creative artworks that can be found. “We have to make a difference and give back to the planet thus making people’s lives better and the future secure.”
Happy Birthday
It is Janeen Swing’s birthday today, and Miva Merchant would like to wish her a very Happy Birthday.
