OK! its hard garbage time in my neck of the woods. I’m a hoarder, so it’s really hard for me to throw anything out , if I think I can use it in my art and of course thats everything.
This year, I actually found some old mattress’s, a toaster and some odd bits of wood in the shed to throw- out for the garbage man. They are sitting out the front of my house now, waiting to be picked up.
I must not weaken and grab them back at the last minute. Now the toaster was a hard one to let go. “Could I pull it apart and use it in my sculpture or box assemblage?” No! I told myself I don’t need it and tossed it.
The other side of hard garbage for me is the delicious bits and pieces I find. Yes, I’m one of those scavengers; you probably hate, but I collect for good reason… It’s all art materials and I’m recycling . Most of my European Sculptures were created from hard garbage I collected from Australia, UK and Europe.
Many artist around the world make wonderful Hard Garbage Art.
Lets face it, most of it goes into landfill stuffing up the earth anyway. So, why not? recycle it into something new and useful.
If the owners are around I do ask first and usually they are happy for me to take it. I have never had a problem. I’ve even made a few friends along the way. What a small world it is, when complete strangers know someone you know, or have the same interests as you.
The history behind the discarded item always fascinates me too, and this is sometimes the starting point in my creations.
So yesterday, on my way to shops I didn’t deliberately go out looking , but, on the communal rubbish heap at the end of my street, a couple of things beckoned to me.
I just couldn’t pass by the 2 large plastic, terrarium domes and an old skateboard with its spray painted artwork. Both will be perfect for my sculpture and installation work. Imagine the little worlds I could create inside those domes…
Now, what can I do with a toaster and the old microwave?
Welcome to Ateliernostalgi