Thanks Verizon Wireless for taking a step in the right direction.
So, I have joined the many folks that own a DROID. Thanks to Hill and Usher for providing the phone for some future community art projects I have planned with my collaborative partner down at Art is Moving!
When I opened my box I found a prepaid envelope asking me to recycle my old phone. I was so happily surprised. What an awesome way to catch people while they are in the mind set of changing phones! Not only will Verizon recycle your old phone for you, they created a program called HopeLine that donates to non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence awareness and prevention.
In Verizon’s words:
HopeLine® collects wireless phones and accessories from any wireless service provider and refurbishes or recycles them in an environmentally friendly way. Since October 2001 when Verizon Wireless launched its national recycling program, HopeLine has collected more than 7 million phones; properly disposed of nearly 1.6 million phones in an environmentally sound way; refurbished the remaining units, funding more than $7.9 million in cash grants for domestic violence organizations; and distributed more than 90,000 HopeLine phones with the equivalent of more than 300 million minutes of service.
(from www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline)
And, you can send wireless phones from any company, they don’t have to be from Verizon. They even have a pre-paid label you can download from their website HERE. You can also bring in your old phones to any Verizon Store.
Thanks for thinking of the environment and social justice all at the same time Verizon!
Spotlight: Earth911.com
Thanks to the folks at Earth911.com for all of their Tips and Tricks of the green trade. Seriously from how to recycle batteries to Why some people don’t recycle, they’ve covered it!
One of my favorite posts as of late was a post featuring 7 Eco Designers. I love how far the upcycled momentum is traveling. There are some amazing craftspeople out there using random fabrics and other such things to make some really cute functional and fashionable clothes and accessories. It is also an encouraging post as I am stepping into the clothes making realm and am pretty new to the game. I don’t know how to sew anything but a purse, so this should be interesting.
So, the next time you are looking for a few fun eco facts or an inspiring Do-It-Yourself post, check out Earth911.com. I am sure you will find something there to like and look at, I always do.
Spotlight: Planet Green
If you are looking for a one stop shop for being “green” Planet Green (http://planetgreen.discovery.com/) is the site for you. It seems too focus on the many ways an individual can become more green. There are “How to go Green” guides for being green with your computer, coffee and tea, at work, and a great deal more. I find it inspiring.
They do a wonderful job compiling link sharing posts on their site. One of the sections has bundles and bundles of links to Do it Yourself Green Projects! Of course this is the section I find myself hanging out in most often. Examples of the awesomeness they have found and shared include: A flower brooch from an old t-shirt, Plastic Bag Purses, Sunglasses case, and Lamps from Wine Bottles!
There are so many posts to read and so much to learn on Planet Green.
Have fun visiting and finding new ways to be green and new DIY green projects!
Spotlight: Nancy Judd, Recycle Runway
Wow! THIS IS AWESOME! Nancy Judd makes couture clothing with recycled materials!
My favorites are the “Recycled Cowgirl” that is made from phone books,
“Fan Mail Dress” made from junk mail,
and the “Pop Can Couture,” made from, you guessed it, pop cans!
photos from http://www.recyclerunway.com/index.htm
Thank you Nancy. For your craft, your creativity and your commitment. It is overwhelmingly inspiring.
Nancy’s work is currently on display at the Phoenix International Airport until August 2010.
Check out Nancy Judd’s work on her website:
http://www.recyclerunway.com/index.htm
Ok, now I need to go practice some sewing.
Spotlight: Royal Redneck
Since I dont have the financial means like a lot of you do in this economy I was hoping this might help. For all of you thinking the same way about being stuck. Here is a easy and quick way to help:
Spotlight: Whitney Smith of At Whits End Design
This week’s spotlight is on Whitney Smith who takes paper scraps and turns them into amazing and colorful bracelets and necklaces. It’s like wearing miniature paper lanterns. I love that idea! So whimsical and fresh.
Here’s what Whitney had to say:
1. Tell us your story…How did you get to where you are now as an artist?
Growing up, I always enjoyed various arts and crafts. I was never focused in one area of art. My mother was very artsy so I was able to try out many areas of artistic expression with her through the years. Even though I loved art, I never considered myself an artist.
When I moved to San Francisco for college is when I feel I truly found and defined my artistic self. I had a great little apartment, the inspiration of a bustling city mixed with natural beauty and a melting pot of creative vibes from my fellow San Franciscans. Here is where I really started focusing on reusing things and trying out new techniques. I mostly dabbled in painting, photography, sewing, knitting, and jewelry making. When I move back to the south bay area, I took the love for these things with me and continued to work on various art projects.
My boyfriend told me about Etsy one day and I knew I wanted to become a part of it with my jewelry. At the time, I wasn’t making paper beads, in fact, I had never heard of them. I was only making jewelry out of glass beads and gemstones. A lot of the beads in these pieces are actually recycled from other jewelry that was broken or leftover from other projects. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered paper beads and how much fun you can have with them. I went crazy with all of my old magazines and printer paper! I decided to start selling the paper beads and pieces made from them along with my jewelry on Etsy.
I now consider myself an artist but only because I feel that everyone can be an artist if they choose to be.
2. Why do you reuse material?
I reuse materials for several reasons. 1) It’s good for the environment. It’s a way to recycle things that would otherwise be thrown away. 2) Using recycled materials can save you money because most people just see junk and are willing to give them away. 3) Recycled things have a story all their own. There is something so fun about using an object that has had a life as something completely different before it was turned into your piece of art.
3. How do you come up with ideas for creative reuse?
I get a lot of my ideas from just looking at the piece and asking myself what I can do with it or how can I use it in my project? Usually I already have an idea from something I saw that inspired me so it’s really just a matter of finding the pieces that I think fit and figuring out what I want to do with them. In the case of paper beads, I have to decide what colors are going to work with my project and how I want to arrange them.
4. Explain your process. How do you get from paper to upcycled necklace?
First I choose my paper. Any type can be used such as used printer paper, magazine pages, sheet music, scrapbooking scraps, newspaper, origami paper, book pages, etc. I personally like to reuse printer paper or magazine pages since I have those in abundance. On the page, I measure out the beads with a ruler to make sure each will be about the same size, usually 1 inch or less. This is also where I decide what shape I want the final bead to be in. Then I cut out the triangles, rectangles or other shapes for the beads. Then comes the rolling! There are actually fancy bead rollers out on the market but I personally just use one of my paint brushes that I have dubbed my bead roller. As the last inch of paper is about to be rolled, I put a little bit of glue to hold bead together. I leave them to dry overnight (there is a lot of drying time when making these haha). I like to paint my beads so once they are dry, I add 3 coats of whatever color paint I choose, drying for at least a few hours in between coats. Then I add a design, which can be kind of tricky considering the “canvas”, is small and curved. After the design dries, I add 3 coats of varnish to give the bead durability and shine with more drying in between coats. After the last drying period, you have your beads! I usually do them in small batches so I end up with between 8 and 16 beads. After that, the possibilities are endless. I recently used paper beads in a bracelet for a contest also using chain, small glass beads, headpins and a barrel clasp. I have seen paper beads used in jewelry, other accessories, glued on canvases and even in a beaded curtain!
5. What advice do you have for anyone interested in creatively reusing something?
Have fun with it! Look at your materials with an open mind and just let it flow. Recycled things make some of the best pieces!
6. What inspires your work?
Most of my work is inspired by the things I see around me. Sometimes things just stand out to me. Every once in a while I’ll get inspired by a person or a specific object but most of the time I make things that are kind of my own interpretation of what I see. I feel when I make a piece that was inspired by something, it has it’s own way of immortalizing it for me.
7. Any favorite artists?
I love Monet’s water lily paintings and Auguste Rodin’s sculptures. I also love Jonathon Bowser’s goddess art.
8. Where do you want to be in 5 years as an artist?
In 5 years I’d love to have my own little boutique for all of the art that I do. Later on I would also love to open an art center for children since working with children is my other passion.
See more from this artist here:
ETSY
http://www.etsy.com/shop/AtWhitsEnd
http://www.facebook.com/atwhitsenddesigns
ARTIST’S BLOG
http://www.wsmithart.blogspot.com/
Spotlight: Heather Logsdon of Heathered
You will realize in a few moments when you start to read her interview, that Heather Logsdon has a good time no matter what she’s doing. Though I have never met her, by reading her answers to my semi-general and semi-specific questions, I feel as though Ms. Logsdon laughs a great deal, doesn’t take herself too seriously and has found a style all her own, both in life and in work. I love the idea of an object becoming “heathered.” I only hope that mine become “Laurened” as that is as genuine as one could hope to be.
Heather’s Interview:
1. Tell us your story…How did you get to where you are now as an artist?
My name is Heather and I run a little shop called Heathered (as in the color or to have been altered by Heather). I make and sell felt Narwhallets (wallets with narwhals on them), Walwristlets (wristlets with walruses on them), wallets with guitar amps on them, altered cardigans, reusable grocery and record bags, and some other stuff that doesn’t involve puns.
How did I become an artist? Chance and opportunity, mostly. My career choice was Audio Engineer but due to the rapidly changing Music Industry, my abhorrence for working until 3am and having no social life, I now have an unrelated day job so I can make art at night.
I studied music and art in college and my mom taught me how to sew when I was in high school but I’ve always made or altered things. As a little kid, if I had a bunch of broken crayons, I would melt a few together to make a new crayon chunk in an unusual color. OMG chartreuse ponies!!!11!!1
2. Why do you reuse material?
Al Gore and Sesame Street- pretty simple. And the starving kids in China (or so my mom used to say).
I’ve seen overflowing, unauthorized trash dumps in the Outback and what it does to the surrounding environment. I try to keep as much stuff out of the dumps as possible. I reuse everything I possibly can- broken colanders become hanging flower pots and outdated maps from my backpacking years become perfect materials for my map wallets.
3. How do you come up with ideas for creative reuse?
Starting a design from scraps forces me to be more creative about the entire project. It’s like staring at clouds and saying “that one looks like an embarrassed giraffe.”
4. Do you look for specific materials when you go to a reuse it store or come up with ideas when you see materials? What is your creative process?
I’m always looking for felt, canvas, and handle strap fabric but, using mostly recycled materials, I never know what I’m going to find. I trudge through bins at thrift stores that make me want to submerge myself in a vat of Dial soap just so I can find the perfect hiding scraps. I go to S.C.R.A.P. (www.scrap-sf.org/) once a month to restock and to peruse the fabric isles. I love finding bolts of flour sack material or pieces of felt that already look like fruit.
Then I take everything home, put it in piles on my living room floor and sketch out designs. I then pair fabrics with strap materials and move the piles, one by one, into my cutting room (aka, my kitchen). My bags just happen to be 2 linoleum floor tiles by 4 linoleum floor tiles- it’s perfect. Then I put them into new piles and move those piles into my sewing area and stack them on the floor, where they stay until have time to sew them. Ideally, I would be able to do this without being distracted but this process usually takes a day or so.
5. What advice do you have for anyone interested in creatively reusing something?
Street corners are a million times less frustrating than using the Craigslist Free section. If you live in the City, keep a hawk eye out for reusable stuff on the street corners. I don’t know how many discarded canvases I’ve reused into wallets.
Squirrel away those broken bike tires- they make rad belts.
Look at a book, not as a tool for instruction, but as a medium. Ask yourself, “how can I wear this book?”
My favorite book for learning how to sew all of my mystery fabrics is More Fabric Savvy by Sandra Betzina.
6. What inspires your work?
Music. Food. My bf.
7. Where do you want to be in 5 years as an artist?
My most feared job interview question… I’d love to have my wallets (in a lot of new designs) carried in a lot more boutique shops. I’d love to have 2 more CDs released and have toured more of the country, selling merch I made myself/with the band.
More from Heathered below:
www.heathered.etsy.com
www.heatheredvintage.etsy.com
Spotlight: lookwhatimade
Well, I seem to be running into a great many upcyling jewelers these days. The amazing thing is that each one is so unique and different. I love the creativity and “eye for reuse” behind the artwork of lookwhatimade. I mean, who thinks of turning old jacks into earrings? I LOVE IT! I am also a huge fan of Tina Fey and might need to get myself some blerg earrings.
The interview follows:
1. Tell us your story…How did you get to where you are now as an artist?
i always loved to collect things, it is the natural course for the product of two collectors/pack-rat parents. both ‘organized’ in their ways, as am i; despite what my boyfriend says!
i was raised that you recycle, compost and re-use whenever you possibly can, so i guess it would be foreshadowing that i am now more conscience of it than back then. i think that there is always an alternative for anything besides the landfills and it kills me when i see what people throw away and what a ‘disposable’ society we as americans (especially) are.
to help pay the bills, i have worked in many restaurants and restauranting gigs and it made me so sick to see how the solution to most things is: “just throw it away.” out of sight, out of mind right? wrong! so i do my part, i may have been known to ‘bully’ others into it as well, in taking responsibility for our planet. reduce, reuse and recycle. they taught it to us at such a young age, it’s a wonder to me how it didn’t stick to others as it did me.
in sculpture classes at sfsu, they urged us to bring in odd, old and random things for making projects out of, i also took art for kid classes and they would take ANYTHING for ideas of things to do with kids. it was then that i learned of SCRAP in san francisco, if you have never heard of it, you have to check it out! www.scrap-sf.org anything i am getting rid of gets the scrap screening, what a place! along with the many bins of random STUFF that i have schlepped around through various moves, i finally found my niche! and old things just started becoming new things and life was good! i also love to go to swap meets, antique stores and second hand stores. thanks mum!
it was my parents and places like those that have helped me get to the point in my art that i am at now. and of course actually giving a damn, compared to back in the day when it was a chore and not a passion and challenge of ‘how can i save this from the landfill?’
2. Why do you reuse material?
i love giving old things new life. i love the fact that we throw one bag of garbage away about every week/week and a half. that we compost and i cut up all of our paper recycling packaging into business card sizes and am getting a custom made stamp so i can make my own business cards instead of order ones. i love the reaction that my items get from (most) people when they find out that it is from recycled, vintage or used items. it is catching on, just slowly and very demographically. us on the west coast seem to be more into it that those back home in the midwest or on the east coast and down south. a lot of them just don’t care, don’t recycle, or compost. a lot of places don’t even offer recycling to people, how is that!? how could you conscientiously throw away a recyclable item into the garbage!? it baffles me and makes me want to double my efforts to make up for them.
it is also exciting (and super frustrating!) when you go on a hunt for something second/third or whatnot-hand and find it! the thrill of the chase and hunt, everything is held in a more satisfying light and you are even more proud of your creations.
3. How do you come up with ideas for creative reuse?
some of them just “speak to me” and others are morphed from some 6degrees of it’s original idea. for example, in sculpture class, i was needing a good project, had a BUNCH of the fortunes from fortune cookies and a fair amount of corks from, well the bottles of wine we enjoy. and i was thinking of what to make and all of a sudden: POOF! it came to me; a cork tree with fortunes for the leaves! (photo #1) so i began cutting out random fabric leaves, epoxied the fortunes and stuck them into old wire hanger branches. (just an unfolded wire hanger with whole corks pierced through it. the leaves had floral wire hand threaded through them so they could stick into the branches) the trunk of the tree was made by cutting corks in half (whew!) and affixing them onto a recycled drop clothe. and viola! CAUTION: falling fortunes was bourne. only while in the making of the trunk, i was laying and walking on the cut corks and said to brian (my boyfriend) ‘wow! this is SUPER comfy to walk on! it would make a cool floor mat… and there you have the birth of the cork mats! things like that are how i get to my spot i am in now! it is fun and crazy the things that come out.
4. What is your favorite piece you have ever made?
my favorite piece… hmmmm, in terms of function, i would have to say my pick me series. they are actual playing guitar picks made of recycled metals and sterling silver, cut into my rendition of a pick. then they are hand stamped with the pun: ‘pick me’ on them. i LOVE puns, it is a family trait that i am most proud of i think. between myself, my family, brian and his family, i lead a very punny life!
followed closely by the cork mats; they are SO comfortable!!!!
as for aesthetic, i would have to go with the cork tree! i am often amazed that i made it due to it’s size. that photo does no justice! it was on display at a flower shoppe at pier 3, before they closed. i am told it brought in a lot of business. or on-lookers at least!
that’s a tough question, i actually like all of my works…. but that’s the top 3!
5. What advice do you have for anyone interested in creatively reusing something?
GO FOR IT!!!! let your imagination run wild, just start putting things together and see what happens! challenge yourself to use only one or two new materials… it’s hard! (ie: silver, epoxy, etc)
6. What inspires your work?
hhhmmmm, nature. the flow of things, beauty of the great outdoors, shapes, my loved ones, my mood!, how things fall and the nature of the piece.
7. Any favorite artists?
anyone who makes an effort to reuse items, refurbish things and are against needless throwing away of stuff.
8. Where do you want to be in 5 years as an artist?
5 years…. running my own successful business out of my garage studio on our acreage of beautiful california land. to be known well enough to have a following that allows me to concentrate on my creations and what it is that i will be working on at that point in my career. hopefully larger items, and more ceramics and welding -in a green manner of course and not necessarily together, but ‘who nose’! i miss working big, it requires a lot of space and ventilation!
all i really want is for people to catch onto the whole reusing notion and seek out items that are made in that way. and not choose to go to target or wherever because they are saving a few bucks. artists need to get paid for their work as well as ideas and making them a reality. i want the “starving” to be taken out of my “artist” label!
See more from lookwhatimade at the following sites:
check out my shoppe on cosa verde: http://cosaverde.com/store/lookwhatimade/
and follow a link to or checkout my etsy shoppe at: lookwhatimade.etsy.com
follow me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/lookwhatimade/169162766577?ref=mf
and twitter: http://twitter.com/lookatwhatimade
and flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookwhatimadeitems/
read/comment on my blog: http://www.blogger.com/profile/14189660953411813675
Spotlight: Angie Schertle of Angie Handmade
The first thing I noticed about the Angie Schertle’s work was COLOR! She seems to have a great deal of fun playing with certain pairings, making each piece bright and inviting.
Here’s what Angie had to say about being and upcycling artist:
1. Tell us your story…How did you get to where you are now as an artist?
I’ve always love creating things, from the time I was a kid. But I never really pursued it. Then when I had kids I started playing around with art and creating with them. I soon start to realize how much I enjoy it… just trying things and seeing how they come out. It didn’t take too long for me to start to do my own projects and continue my learning on my own. And that led me to start my Etsy shop
2. Why do you reuse material?
There are a number of reasons to reuse. First of all, my budget is tight. Using upcycled materials I can create so many things for next to nothing. And there’s also an added sense of satisfaction when I have made something from what would be garbage. It’s sort of an extra challenge. And, of course, it’s so great to reuse rather than bringing new materials into the world.
3. How do you come up with ideas for creative reuse?
There are so many ideas out there. I’m addicted to craft books, and I also get ideas from searching on the internet. Sometimes when I see something that’s destined for the garbage I think of a possible use and add it to my stash. Now that I’ve been upcycling I often look at garbage with a new perspective – not what it was used for, but as a raw material for its next use.
4. What kind of reactions do you get to your work? Any memorable experience?
Most of the time people just notice and, hopefully, love the piece, without really thinking about the materials. And that’s great because I always want the things I make to be beautiful as they are after being remade. I think great upcycled pieces shouldn’t necessarily hide the fact that they’re made from a discarded item, but they also shouldn’t look like that’s all they still are.
5. What advice do you have for anyone interested in creatively reusing something?
Go for it! It’s a low risk way to try new things and make mistakes. And there are so many things to reuse, the sky’s the limit. One easy way to start is with collage. I recently checked out from the library Collage Unleashed by Traci Bautista. Now I’m saving tons of stuff for my collages.
6. What inspires your work?
I really love trying new color combinations, seeing how different colors work together. No matter what the medium that’s what I decide on first. When it comes to reuse, it’s really the objects themselves. I’ll be throwing something in the recycling bin and then think, “Hey, that would make a great _______.” Or sometimes I have a need for something and I’ll look for a throw-away item that could be turned into that.
7. Any favorite artists?
Here are some of my favorite upcycle artisans on Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/katwise
http://www.etsy.com/shop/my7kids
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RadicalRecycks
http://www.etsy.com/shop/katesy
http://www.etsy.com/shop/stiksel
http://www.etsy.com/shop/NormalIsBoring
http://www.etsy.com/shop/capone31
8. Where do you want to be in 5 years as an artist?
I hope that in five years my crafting is still a big part of my life. I have no idea what I’ll be making. It seems that one project leads to the next.
See more from Angie:
ETSY: http://www.etsy.com/shop/angiehandmade
Spotlight: Violets New Vintage
Betsy Berberbian has a wonderful line of unique upcycled jewelry. She sees beauty in used circuit boards! Check out her interview below.
1. Tell us your story…How did you get to where you are now as an artist?
I got to where I am today by walking on two different roads, the jewelry road and the painting road. The jewelry road is where I recycle, so I’ll start there. I don’t think of the jewelry I make as art, to me its a craft. I have always loved jewelry and grew up in a family of jewelry loving women. My mother,grandmother and aunts always wore big earrings, lots of bracelets and necklaces and huge rings…all the time. (They all had big hair too, but that is another story) Their jewelry was noisy ..lots of bangles and charm bracelets making that ‘tinkling’ noise when they moved their hands. Jewelry was collected and worn by all the women in my family and I caught the bug at an early age. When some of the family jewelry was handed down to me I started to re-work it or I would take it apart and make new, more modern looking jewelry. We all repaired and re-worked jewelry, so my jewelry thing started at a very early age.
2. Why do you reuse material?
I started using re cycled materials ages ago when I couldn’t always afford to buy new findings or stones. I would look around and make something from what I already had. I never thought it would be in style to do this. I started using the circuits for jewelry when a girl friend of mine was moving and she gave me tons of circuits and findings she didn’t want anymore.She knew I was a ‘waste not want not’ person and thought I would make proper use of them. I made jewelry from these circuits and then started cutting my own circuits from old computers…..Violets new Vintage was born. I do use recycled materials to make a statement against waste. Our society wants us to buy NEW stuff all day long and I reject ‘serial shopping’ as a past time.
3. How do you come up with ideas for creative reuse?
I always have creative ideas…a glass is a template if you turn it over and use it to make a circle. I don’t run out of ideas and love to experiment. If you sand a circuit you can get down to the copper and there are interesting patterns there that I am working on now. Experimenting leads to new ideas and designs.
4. What kind of reactions do you get to your work? Any memorable experience?
I get positive reactions from the circuit jewelry, but it isn’t for everyone. Most of my friends don’t like it and I make them more classic style jewelry, sparkly stuff. My most memorable experiences were from people who gave my circuit jewelry as gifts and made their sons or husbands happy. They wrote to tell me that the ceramic circuit jewelry was a big hit on Christmas.
5. What advice do you have for anyone interested in creatively reusing something?
My advice is to be bold and experiment with your materials. Spend time abusing it, painting it, bending it…see what happens. Also, give yourself room to work. having a space to be creative in is essential. (be messy)
6. What inspires your work?
I am inspired by the intricate or linear patterns in the circuits. I look at them with a painterly eye.
7. Any favorite artists?
Rene’ Lalique is my favorite jewelry artist. His dragon fly designs are incredible.
8. Where do you want to be in 5 years as an artist?
In five years I would like to have completed a huge body of work; paintings and jewelry. I would like this work to surprise me and every one who looks at it.
For more ifnormation about Betsy B. and her Violets New Vintage products, click below:
Violets New Vintage Esty Shop
Artist’s Blog
