Trashy Makeover
By: Stephanie Benney
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am first and foremost, an artist. I enjoy acrylic and oil painting, not to mention sketching with charcoal, graphite and ink. One of my favorite forms of art, is refinishing old furniture and antiques.
While I was in school for graphic design, I was able to take advantage of classes, such as: art history, pottery and 3 dimensional design. Gaining a broad perspective on the arts enabled me think in a more abstract way and apply it to everyday subjects in all aspects of my life. One project that was unforgettable to me, was from my 3 dimensional design class. The project scope was that we had to take any kind of broken object and give it a new purpose as artwork.
Today, this kind of artwork has become quite a phenomenon and is a part of the ever evolving Green Movement. Many artists are now making political statements, practical pieces and decorative works out of broken or reclaimed materials.
Every year, when spring blossoms and the warm weather arrives, I look forward to venturing out to various art festivals and tracking down the artists who produce sustainable and recycled art. So, I was excited to see an entire information booth at Three Rivers Arts Festival 2012 dedicated to green education and initiative.
Just steps outside of the booth was a larger than life piece titled, “Catch of the Day”. The artist made a giant fish out soda/beer cans and various other reclaimed materials found in the rivers. It gave an excellent example to children and adults alike the amount of garbage we carelessly toss into the environment and also the possibilities of what can creatively be done with it.
Another booth I stumbled upon, produced hand-crafted recycled accessories by using vintage bottle caps, bike tires, comic books, sheet music, beverage packaging, cereal boxes and magazines. They do everything from earrings to belts and neckties to purses. If you have a specific request for a comic book purse, etc, shoot them an email and they can create a custom order for you(info@atticdwellers.com)…very cool!
A few years ago, when I was visiting my Mom for her birthday, we attended a little flower and art show in Cleveland near the Botanical Gardens. One of the neatest booths I have ever visited custom made necklaces, earrings, bracelets and broaches out of antique flatware and china. It’s amazing how such great jewelry can be made out of something you eat your spaghetti off of!
A few booths down from the spaghetti jewelry was another phenomenal artist. Not only was she an AMAZING still-life photographer, she used antique window and mirror frames to showcase her work. Such a great way to add some vintage to your decor!
To check out 7 Innovative artists around the world, who create art from trash, go to:
7 Innovative Artists Who Create Art from Trash: Projected, Recycled and Other Amazing Art | WebUrbanist http://weburbanist.com/2008/06/04/recycled-art-from-trash/
It is amazing what trash can be turned into!
Stephanie Benney is a “Sustainable Visionary” and also the new Pittsburgh Representative for Fuzed Marketing, where she helps companies increase their brand presence. stephaniebenney@yahoo.com