The Very Green Artist

I have a secret fascination with the art of creating precious things from trash. I am in a constant state of glee when I surf the web and happen upon a touching piece of art, useful or otherwise. Though I do use found objects mixed with some new and recycled items for my jewelry, and do consider my art somewhat "recycled", I have a special place in my heart for those artists that go above and beyond when creating with everyday trash. These fearless-folk think nothing of lifting up the heavy lid to a dumpster in some back alley, or digging through thrift shops for that perfect piece of material, or simply walking back to the trash can, only to pick out what they just threw into it because inspiration has struck.

I have happened upon a fun mix of artists to tickle your fancy and your saavy-sense of green style! Go to the market in ultra-green fabulousness, decorate your home with found-art treasures, create a new collection from throw-away art decor or look sharp with a OOAK recycled handbag slung over your shoulder. Just know that if you shop with one of these fine artists you'll be doing yourself, your children and the world a bit of good.

I'm kicking off this month's column with Oregon's very own Colette George. Author, artist, teacher and designer for Krylon, Colette is the ultimate "Revamping Queen" and is always searching for new ways to create with a very-green concept in mind.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
COLETTE GEORGE

I met Colette through Facebook of all places, and was instantly inspired by not only her sense of style, but her very sweet personality! Colette chose to answer a few questions I had for her....

~what draws you to a particular found object waiting to be recycled?
Usually a collaborative call with a client, be it Krylon or an editor, will set me on a finding mission. Having certain criteria at this point is great because otherwise I can think of a million different directions a single project can go.

~do you know right off how you will use your object, or does it come later?
Most of the time it's pretty evident if I'm working on a project for someone else. But, if I'm looking at a future project that is self directed I'll look with a different eye.

~what art process do you like to do recyclable objects...and why?
Aside from a repurposing concept, paint is a big factor in every project, it seems. Paint can turn the right object into an icon without any additional embellishment.

~is your recyclable object the focal point of your art, or just a piece of the puzzle?
That's a hard question. I design a lot with the notion of recycle being the whole point. But a lot depends on the client's needs. Using recycled things can be style statements in themselves, or then again, they can contribute a significant detail element but not necessarily drive the design.

~what satisfaction do you gain in using found and recyclable objects in your work?
I love this question. It's a similar feeling as when we picked a pet from the shelter. You know you're doing something important and useful. I also get a charge out of taking those things and reigniting their usefulness. It makes me feel like a rebel or even heroic saying "See! I told you it wasn't worthless." In many ways society casts things away...people, pets and of course, material things. Reclaiming things is part of a larger statement for me. It's a way of saying thank you.

~how or why would you encourage others to use found/recyclable objects in their work?
I guess I shared the why above. As for how- it's all about shape. I love watching trends and seeing the same shapes repeated in things that came before, that are seemingly so mundane, unimpressive and sitting in a pile somewhere. It almost starts to feel like an inside joke or secret that I share with the found object. The efficiency just feels good to me.

I live in Oregon where we've been leaders in the whole green movement so recycling is like falling off a log. Plus, I've always lived in a sort of remote area that makes getting new materials less convenient. There is every good reason to repurpose.

A word about Krylon: Spray painting helps contribute to the reuse of items by allowing consumers to refresh worn things with a new finish. This helps lengthen the useful life of plastic and other pieces and reduce plastic waste flowing into landfills. Krylon is working very hard to respond to consumers desire for environmentally healthy paints for the home & environment and continues to search for new ways to reduce VOCs. As well as being CFC free-Krylon is making many positive advances such as: using sustainable raw materials like soy oil & reducing the amount of solvent used in its paint formulations. Recycled steel is also being used in creating the cans, and cans and caps are now completely recycleable. Krylon’s new H20 Latex™, the first 100% acrylic latex spray paint, contributes 55% less to smog pollution than most solvent-based spray paints. The H20 Latex can be safely sprayed indoors while offering the smooth, durable finish expected from Krylon.

Find Colette at:
Cathedral Of Dreams
Her book, "Fresh Ideas in Decoupage"
Krylon
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
JULIA VENTRESCO

OH MY! Julia is one of the newest members of the Etsy Maine Team, and when I spied her shop on Etsy my heart soared! Who could be more perfect for this article then a gal from my home state that creates fabulous tote bags from old reused feed and grain bags? Her goal is to use as much of each bag as possible. I'd say she has met her goals and more! Julia chose to answer some questions I had for her....

~How long have you been making green art and when and why did you start?
My very first foray into ‘green art’ (as an adult, anyway) was about 25 years ago when a boyfriend and I were building our house. I was going around the job site picking up all of the scraps of wood that were big enough to make something out of (I was thinking birdhouses!) and squirreling them away for later use. It was kind of a covert operation, because I was supposed to be saving them for the woodstove! But I just couldn’t see throwing away something that could be used more creatively. Nope, I haven’t changed a bit!

~Did you grow up with a green family, or is this something you have taught yourself to do?
Well, I certainly grew up in a creative family. My mother and father are both artists and crafters and their parents were as well- and on and on. But green? We lived in suburban Boston during the 1960’s and 70’s, so I think their main focus at the time was keeping up with the Joneses. A compost pile in the back yard would have definitely been frowned upon (which is why they ditched and moved us to Maine)!
I think I picked that up from my Grandfather and also my Grandmother (my father’s parents). And I don’t think it was called ‘green’ back then. It was really just a way of life. They were old-school Italians. They raised a family during the Depression. Every scrap of paper, metal, wood, fabric, anything, was saved and reused. Nothing was thrown away. I really think they were they original repurposers! They had a huge garden. Canned. Raised chickens. Made compost!

~Where do you find your recyclables that you plan on turning into art?
I am not above dumpster diving. In fact, that was my initial source for the grain bags that I use to create my tote bags. Now people save them for me. I also find some real goodies at the local dump. The stuff that people throw away! It’s just criminal! Also, the guys at the lumber yard are good about letting me pull stuff out of their dumpsters like tarps, webbing and strapping.
It’s really kinda cool now that folks are getting to know my work and what I do. They’ll call me up and say “I was just heading to the dump with a load of (whatever), but I thought maybe you could use it?”

~How did you or do you come up with your ideas?
Sometimes I think it is just divine intervention. Other times I think that it’s because I’m a friggin’ genius.
Seriously, though. Like so many artists that use found and recycled materials, I let the materials ‘speak’ to me. I don’t say “OK. I am going to make a tote bag. I will go look for some trash to make it out of.”
The materials that I come across more or less dictate what I will create from them. I also keep a file (in my head!) of things that I would like to make. Then usually it just all comes together!

~Why is it important for you to continue on this artistic path with green art?
Is there any other way? I mean, if we keep up this manufacturing (importing, actually) consuming/discarding cycle much longer, it’s gonna do us in!
Sure, it would be a lot easier for me to go on down to MalWart and buy a bolt of fabric- I’d probably end up with a bigger profit margin too! But the actual cost of that fabric to the environment, the underpaid workers who produce it, and ultimately to our landfills, is more than we can afford to pay.

~How do you feel the community has taken to your art?
The support I have received from the local and surrounding media has been astounding! Fortunately the ‘green movement’ is the ‘thing of the moment’ and that’s what sells newspapers. But more than that, they really admire my work and what I’m trying to do.
The general public at first was like “You’re selling paper bags?” Then they would think about it for a minute and say “Oh! I get it!”
And the people who walk away shaking their heads? Trust me. Eventually, they will have to get it.
My ultimate intention is to make it be known that this is not just a passing fad. Saving our resources and shrinking our landfills needs to happen now. Everyone can do this. You don’t have to be an artist. And you don’t have to turn it into a business. You just need to make it a way of life.

Find Julia at:
One Woman Studio
One Woman Studio at Etsy
Hick Chic Bags
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BONNIE THOMAS

Yet another Maine girl with the environment in mind, Bonnie's little robot people are true collectables that will make you smile! I got to meet Bonnie for the first time in Freeport just last weekend and her personality is as infectious as her fun-loving robots!

I think Maine has a history of “growing” frugal people and I suspect this has had some influence on the art I create. I did not grow up in a “green” family, per say, but I grew up on an island where people were thoughtful about reusing things and finding new uses for old objects. For example, like some children, I loved getting the discarded stickers from junk mail. These little stickers provided so many possibilities for creative play—from playing post office to creating wonderful masterpieces. There was one particular day when I was 4 years old and my mother gave me the stickers from a Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes mailing. I went to my bedroom closet, stickers in hand. I got out my crayons and drew a tall apartment building on the back wall of my closet. Two queens with simple crowns stood at the front doors. Then, one by one I separated the stickers along the perforated edges, licked them and placed them neatly along a line to create a row of windows. I continued doing this –one row of windows after another till the apartment building had a glorious effect of these dimly lit windows. ( If you don’t remember these stickers, they were pale yellow). No one else shared my enthusiasm for my creative use of these stickers, but it goes to show I was creating with found and recycled objects at an early age.

As an adult I still create a lot of my artwork with recycled objects. Although I have some art materials I faithfully purchase, the remainder of my supplies come from the towns recycling center, discarded supplies from various work sites, and boxes of goodies my mom collects from friends who are ready to clean out their vintage supplies. These are also the same treasures I will look for after yard sales, since many people in our town put out “free piles” of items once a yard sale is over. In addition, I am notorious for scoping through my parents jars and boxes of hardware that they have collected over the years from job sites, inherited from relatives, or left over from house projects. From all of these various sources I have collected, and continue to collect, objects that would have been thrown away, but for me provide the perfect ingredients for art.

I create robots, shrines, altered books, altered/found objects art, collages, and dioramas using all of these found and recycled objects. In addition, I have a book coming out in June 2009 titled “Creative Coping Skills for Children: Emotional Support Through Arts and Crafts Activities” in which I strongly encourage (and give suggestions for) how to find and use recycled goods in art projects with children.

Find Bonnie at:
PsandQs at Etsy
Loving Anvil
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
JENNIFER WIGLESWORTH

Jennifer answered my call right here at Indie Public for "The Very Green Artist". As I've tried to keep up with Jennifer's coming and goings ever since we first convoed online, I've been impressed with the ways she continually moves her product forward, always trying to stay a step ahead, and using key marketing skills to reach a broader audience.

When I originally decided to start designing my totes, I knew I wanted to use materials that promoted my beliefs in sustainably. So, in thinking 'green', I thought about various materials: organic cottons, bamboos, etc. Then I remembered I had seen another artist use denim. So, I decided to not only use recycled denim, but also to incorporate hand made beads and various other materials that were either recycled or derived from sustainable materials.

It was so fun to design and create each piece. Inspirations from nature gave me ideas for color, taking Northwest green trees and blue lakes and rivers into the ribbons and stones on the totes. Each tote is unique and carefully made my hand.

My mom, who inspired me to become a designer, helped in the development of each piece. We went through several drafts from the original design to the final product. It was both a fun and intense process...but seeing the response I get from the public is the real reward.

Originally, I did not know what I would be designing. It kind of took on a life of its own once I got started. Now, I am using my beautiful, casual handbag designs, and adding them into a re-branding of surf apparel. The Northwest consumer is so casual; the West coast overall, actually, so I really wanted to create something that fed that consumer hunger. Think - relaxing, comfortable, easy. After much thought, I decided to create Tees, adding onto the totes and re-brand my overall company into a surf brand - reaching my key consumers.

The Totes/handbags are all one-of-a-kind pieces, and can also be special ordered. They are sustainable, beautiful, versatile and fashionable. I am proud of my designs and thankful that in the end they remained true to my beliefs in sustainability, as well as the fact that they become a great representation of what the Northwest is all about - comfortable and gorgeous.

Find Jennifer at:
Belladonna Surf
Rediscover You at Etsy
Indie Public
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SHE DREAMS OF ART is a new monthly column by Jessica Moreau-Berry, published right here at Indie Public. Look for new articles on the first Sunday of every month!

If you would like to be featured in future month's articles, then you can convo me here at Indie Public, or send an email to berryandco87@hotmail.com. I am looking for one to two paragraphs, a flickr link to a photo you'd like to show, and your website info.

Next month's article will be, "The Art of Mosaic". Article will be based on art created with this medium. Any artists who uses this medium in their work is welcome to contact me!
Here are a few ideas to ponder:

* When did you start working in mosaic and why?
* Was this self taught or did you take a class?
* How and why would you encourage others to try this medium?
* How do you come up with your ideas?
* How do you feel your mosaic art might be different from others that do so?
* How do you feel the community has taken to your art?
* Where do you find the objects that you use in your pieces?

REMEMBER, these are just ideas to get you started, please write what's in your heart!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jessica Moreau-Berry is a self-taught mixed-media artist who has been creating with vintage throwbacks since her teens. She started making jewelry in 2004 and to this day still delights in the numerous ways jewelry can be constructed from flea-market treasures. She finds her muse quite often at home and in the natural surroundings Maine has to offer. When it comes to art and being creative, she follows her own natural rythms, needs and desires and simply creates what makes her happy at that moment.

Find Jessica at:
Junque Revival
Junque Revival at Etsy
Vintage Junque Revival at Etsy
Sweetpeas
Belle Amoire Jewelry: Winter 2009 & Summer 2009