Get The TechniqueWhen I tell people I love things made from repurposed materials, I am sometimes met with a funny look - as if they are picturing me decorating my apartment with paper towel rolls, wearing a crazy patchwork sweater, or making pasta necklaces.
While some upcycled projects can focus more on the functional aspect, thankfully there are also people who focus on the beauty of the discarded. I love the way these artists see things in a different way:
1. Ariele Alasko: A self-taught woodworker, Ariele’s ability to turn wood lath into tables, headboards, and wall panels is everything to write home about. She explains:
"The inspiration for my furniture comes from the wood I find around Brooklyn, and the many old houses here that are being gutted and turned into more modern versions of themselves. With the discarded wood that comes from these buildings I constantly feel inspired to create everlasting relics of Brooklyn, tables and headboards that are then re-bought and returned to these very homes from which the material came."
Her patterns remind me of quiltwork, and do you see how perfectly her chevrons line up??
2. Edi Go: A photographer from New Zealand, Edi transformed the lowly plastic bag into a piece of art (literally).
He described his photos as a “personal project in experimenting on lighting, shape, and composition. Using simple material like plastic bag, I tried to create visual abstraction from uninteresting objects.”
3. Erin Templeton: Since her days studying shoemaking in England, Erin has worked with recycled leather - from jackets, coats, and even pants. She makes the most beautiful bags and accessories while maintaining the integrity of the original piece.
From: Stephanie Ann | 1/29/13 at 8:41 pm
It's great to see materials recycled in such a stylish and sophisticated way. I enjoyed this blog post and I would love to see more examples of skill crafts people reusing materials in future blog posts.
From: c | 1/30/13 at 9:10 am
THe above bag is VERY similar to the bag I have made from the msltv show which is my 'go to' when not wanting to carry such a large purse.