Sunday 31 May 2020

2020 #10 Topic Introduction: Recycled Packaging

 2020 Topic 10: Recycled Packaging


Hi everyone, Keren here with our latest (plus environmentally friendly) topic ; Recycled Packaging. We've all learned to be more intentional with how we dispose of our unwanted packaging, but how many of us actively use it in our art? There is very little that can't be used and there are increasing numbers of gadgets coming to market to help us make use of plastic and glass bottles. Artists have repurposed books and papers for many years and I'm looking forward to seeing what the PaperArtsy bloggers make of this topic.

'Recycling' some previous PaperArtsy designer's ideas here, I've chosen 3 from the past few years.

More recently you may remember seeing Kate Yetter's beautiful mail art piece that contains recycled PaperArtsy postcards that often come with orders!


Delving a little further back, Julie-Ann wrestled wonders from a packaging folder, making use of the wonderful corrugated texture so beautifully.

PaperArtsy Blog

Lastly, Anneke De Clerck created some joyous jam jar lid ornaments all ready for Christmas.


An obvious place to start is with junk journals. Fashioned from and decorated with what is seen by many as junk, it's the perfect place to jot your feelings or get organised. This example isn't so much about the decoration, it's the bare bones, all ready for embellishing.


Plastic bags have become words associated with so many negative connotations. Add some joy to them by trying this fused technique.


There is something warm and wonderfully textural about cardboard. This piece at a Children's Museum uses different techniques of treating cardboard. Love the trees and leaves.


Staying on the theme of cardboard, the corrugated variety has a propensity to be mould-able. The artist, Warren King inspired from his cultural past, designed these life-size pieces. They are incredibly expressive despite the humble material they're fashioned from.


Our culture is trying to become one that recycles and moves away from a more disposable lifestyle. I've included this as I wouldn't have thought of recycling gift voucher packaging like this. The textures they've added are wonderful.


This next sculpture was created for a Spanish festival and was made from 6000 recycled tubes. The fascinating thing about this piece is how cleverly adding colour to the inside selected tubes really makes something special.


This is an ingenious take on a quilt block (one of the individual building pieces of a quilt) but using rolled up paper and magazine pages. We know that once paper is rolled, it has greater strength, so this would be a long lasting decor piece.


Here's a different take using corrugated cardboard. It looks almost metallic with the added inking and showing the corrugation in parts. This has been formed into a relief tile.


This bag was made in Mexico by prisoners using plastic bags that they wove and plaited together to earn money whilst in prison



With the world as it is, we are often looking for ideas for young children to make use of. The idea is simple, but I could imagine them being adapted for anyone's garden.


The humble matchbox is no stranger to being recycled. This is a fabulous example and could have lots of recycled elements for its decoration too.



With enough imagination, anything can be recycled, upcycled or simply turned into a wonderful piece of art. These vintage tins make for the perfect triplet bodies!


Perhaps you've got more grand ideas? This wall installation piece would certainly make a talking point in your home! The way it's sectioned into matching colours cleverly ties non-matching items together.


The ubiquitous box, found in everyone's possession is frequently discarded into the recycling bin. With a little imagination and love, you can create something decorative and special to house all those eclectic arty bits and pieces.


Many of us will smile wryly at the 'packaging' in question. Granted, it's not strictly packaging but is certainly one of the defining items of the Lockdown Era. Why not take it and transform it into something wonderful. These artistic 'loo-rolls' would look awesome anywhere!


Recycling the packaging needn't be the domain of just papercrafts. This tin has been sumptuously lined with velvet and stitched beautifully.


James Lake is known as one of the signature artists for using cardboard in sculptures. His work and artistry is breathtaking. This is a brilliant example of what he creates. Whilst you or I may not reach those dizzying heights, I've included it to inspire us to sculpt using this basic material that has so much potential.



These mixed-media ATCs were created using recycled packaging and there's a great video to show the process in the link. Whether you leave some of the substrate exposed to hint at its origin, or cover it entirely, they are often substantial and free bases that we should all make more use of in our art.



I hope this has got you delving into your recycling bins, seeing what treasures you might unearth!
If you want to create along with us, please share on our social feeds so we can see what you get up to. The best places are Instagram @paperartsy or post in PaperArtsy People Group on Facebook. Make sure you tag us in your contributions, we love to see what you get up to in your creative world!

3 comments:

Miriam said...

A wonderful topic and great inspiration to kick it off! I feel like I've been preparing for this one my whole life as I save everything! Lol!

Karen Telfer said...

Me too 😂😂 looking forward to participating in this one x

Anonymous said...

thnks