In case you were wondering, the old Linda Ronstadt song “Blue Bayou” somehow popped into my head as I was writing this post. (For better or worse, I live with random thoughts percolating through my cerebral cortex all the time.) So I saw this painting by Utah-based artist and environmentalist Susan Swartz in the July 2011 issue of Washingtonian magazine:

Susan Swartz, Fading Light, 2010, acrylic on linen

The color palette of blue, gold and white struck me as quite lovely. Her solo exhibit “Seasons of the Soul” is currently on view at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in downtown DC.

And located just several blocks south of the museum is a huge Forever 21 store. Late yesterday afternoon as I was walking by the window displays, I had a mini-flashback to that painting—enough for me to backtrack and venture inside so I could take photos of the mannequins up close.

Shades of summer in the fading light at Forever 21

Blue-green nature-inspired print at Forever 21

Now I know that Forever 21, hawking its super-cheap and “fast and disposable” fashion, might seem at the opposite end of the sustainability spectrum, especially when compared to Ms. Swartz’s artwork which serves to convey “the enduring beauty of nature.” But I for one am a firm believer in doing what you can for the environment while not letting it tyrannize your every decision—sartorial or otherwise. Because isn’t freedom of choice and empowerment what women’s lib is all about?

Susan Swartz: Seasons of the Soul runs through October 2, 2011.

National Museum of Women in the Arts | 1250 New York Avenue, NW  Washington, DC  20005 | 202.783.5000 | www.nmwa.org