Monday, October 20, 2008

Time For A Makeover

One of the most popular terms from yesterday seemed to be upcycling because so many of us artsy types do it in our every day work. Material selection is not just reserved for the aisles of a local Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics anymore. So many artists are finding new ways to use formerly loved items in their work and it is causing an entire community of advanced creativity to spawn!

I have interviewed some of these artists before with regard to their thoughts on living and working green and if you have some time on your hands please swing by The Organic Mechanic (or via the image on the right side bar) and click on any of the Artist Spotlight links (postings from mid June to present) to read some amazing stories of fantastic artists and designers.

I am picking out a few artists to feature here today because their creativity in reuse astounds me and that is why I give each of these artists Four Green Leaves!


Courtney Watson of TwIsTeD upcycles formerly used telephone wire to make her funky and bold jewelry line.

Karen Dengler of Retired Records upcycles vinyl albums into just about anything from home goods to jewelry to purses, very cool!


Intarsia artist Theresa Ekdom of Wood N Goods uses scrap and cutoffs to create her amazing inlaid wood designs.


To say Eric Masters of IMOTIME only upcycles items into clocks would be a complete understatement, the items are wacky and it works!


Ingrid McEntire of Creations by Ingrid truly embodies what it means to upcycle, utilizing anything from candy wrappers to men’s suits in her amazing creations.


These artists are just a small number of those who are utilizing unique, upcycled materials to create amazing, functional items. By supporting the efforts of independent artists such as these folks and others we can keep a staggering amount of waste out of landfills.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've always loved IMOTIME, but I also loved the telephone wire bracelets. They are so fun! I love to upcycle because you can make such unique items.

High Desert Diva said...

Jenn...couldn't get the link to Creations by Ingrid to work...

Unknown said...

Thanks Charmaine, it should be all set now :)

Beki - TheRustedChain said...

I love that saw clock!

Great finds.

Expressions By Devin said...

Great , Find really like the saw clock:0)

Anonymous said...

What a nice surprise to see my item on your site! Thank you for posting it Jenn. I love seeing what others can create with others "trash".