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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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!
Me too 😂😂 looking forward to participating in this one x
thnks
Post a Comment