Recycle This!!

Recycle This

By: David Bennett

Recycled art is a huge fad that has recently come over North America. Artists and creative people alike are switching over to this style of media due to the cheep materials and the thought of creating a greener earth. Why should you go buy new art materials when there is unlimited amount of reusable materials at your fingertips? It seems that recycled art has now become such a huge industry that it looks to be the future of all 3 dimensional art.

There are some leaders currently in the race for the top spot on the junk art pyramid. Here are some examples of these incredible artists:

Trash People

HA Schult’s 

(From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zakmc/437962226/in/photostream, Zak mc) 

Shadow Art

Tim Noble and Sue Webster  

http://www.timnobleandsuewebster.com/artwerks.html

Forevertron  

Dr. Evermor's
http://atlasobscura.com/place/dr-evermores-forevertron

To understand why these artists use these materials in order to create such beautiful pieces of art, we must first try to understand their mindset. Why reuse materials when we can buy art supplies that would work better and could be an easier way of creating your masterpiece? Well just by getting yourself into a hipster mindset gives one the ability to realize the mindset of some of these artists. First many of these individuals believe that the conservation and protection of the environment is imperative to sustaining humanity. This not only decreases the amount of garbage going into landfills but it really give spectators  the idea that recycling is a necessity. In this idea it gives individuals the drive and motivation to stand up for our earth in order to preserve our planet.

On another hand it creates a great challenge for the artists working with such bizarre and unique materials. There are now so many artists and so many ways to explore your creativity, and recycled art proves to be a new media in which to discover this same expression. One could feel much more passionate in knowing that what they are doing is difficult and thus it can be so much more rewarding when complete. When you see an amazing piece of recycled art, a larger appreciation is felt for the idea behind the art. Due to some of these examples, it shows the reader why this art form has now become so popular and so respected. It demonstrates an idea that until every person on the planet starts to reduce their carbon footprint, recycled art will be here to stay and it will continue to remind individuals of the need to care for our beautiful earth.

Cool Guys Don't Look at Explosions

A friend surprised me with this image earlier today, and it's just so good I have to share it.

This photo was taken of me earlier this year, in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia.  Not long after sharing the original photo, friends suggested that somebody photoshop a mean explosion into the background. Since that somebody who photoshops is usually me, I left it for a rainy day.

Months later, and to my utter surprise, this image landed on my Facebook wall. I couldn't help but laugh; it totally made my day to be on the receiving end of one of these creations.

In the comment thread to follow, I was also directed to the following YouTube video. Andy Sandberg, of SNL, does a musical parody commenting on several popular movie scenes in which "cool guys don't look at explosions".

I'm entirely flattered to be lumped in with the cool guys, warranted or not, if only for a day.

What Would Shane Do??

There's no denying societies' enthralment with zombies these days. Campy movies showcasing the undead aren't anything new, but what was once an obscure, niche genre has now managed to engross a larger audience. So what gives? Why are we as a people so preoccupied with the end of the world?

I created the above image for a friend last Christmas, and actually had it printed on a coffee mug for him. He loves his afternoon tea, this friend of mine. Shane, for those of you who haven't been following AMC's The Walking Dead, is a character that appears in both the graphic novel series and the television show. Shane's character develops over time from protagonist to antagonist, as his feelings for Rick's wife Lori get in the way of the partnership between he and the main protagonist, Rick Grimes.

Shane's decision making is absolutely ruthless, when Rick is consistently shown as being more compassionate; a family man. For this reason, Shane developed quite the fan base. Clearly, our preoccupation with apocalyptic living conditions has also reignited an appreciation for the survivalist mentality. While Shane is, unquestionably, a total and complete jerk, he still garners respect as a leader and a survivor.

So perhaps this is the answer? What do you think; will the world indeed end in just a few days from now? Is this the game hollywood has been playing with us, with movies like 2012 and television shows like The Walking Dead? It's possible that our combined imaginations have embellished on this forecasted doomsday, sure, and while I don't think I necessarily believe in the theory, I will admit it's something to wonder about.

But for now, with only a few days left before the "end of the world", I'll continue to tune in on Sundays to AMC, and to live as though time is still on my side. WWSD?

up against the wall

4x6 b&w's hanging with paperclips, from yarn stretched across the room

floating books, sitting on L-frames
attached to the wall

One of the most memorable compliments I've ever received was from one of my very best friends. We had gotten together one evening to share in some creativity, and she told me that I'm one of the most naturally creative people she knows. I can't describe what this meant to me, coming from someone like her. I'm blessed with wonderful people in my life, and get to enjoy all the wonderful qualities that come along with them.

This friend actually called me last week suggesting that we make snow-globes together. As awesome as that sounds, I'm just sorry that this blogging project will have likely wrapped up by then, because homemade snow globes would be an excellent addition.

Anyway, I thought I'd share some of the creative pieces I have in my home. I've used a number of mediums, and since they've just become part of my everyday scenery, I thought it might be nice to take a moment to reflect on a few of them here.

Many of these projects come together in the wee-hours of the morning; I find that's when I get into my groove, and I have a lot of fun hanging out with myself when the city is asleep. Good music and good creative energy come together best when there are fewer distractions from the daytime hustle.

a leaf taken from the park across the street from my
childhood home in Ontario.
Pressed in a book, brought to Calgary, and framed.

The first image is something I did late one night after disliking both the fact that so many of the photos I take are left unseen, and that so many of the important faces in my life aren't displayed in my home. I chose a collection of landscape photos taken sometime in the last 50 years, strung yarn from nails on either side of my wood wall, and paper clipped them up. I love just relaxing and staring at them from my couch, I love the motion it gives the wall, and I love that it's an ever-changing, living piece.

acrylics and pennies on canvas.
"mint" spray paint stencil.

The next is something I shamelessly stole from Pinterest, or some other DIY site with interesting shelving concepts. I can't necessarily remember where I saw the idea first, but I thought it was neat and easy enough to pull off right away. That's another thing about me; I get these ideas and then I execute them. There's no hesitation. I get excited and get it done. Anyway, the books are just sitting on a couple L-brackets I picked up from Home Depot. Nothing fancy there; the brackets are actually meant for framing. I put the bracket in between the back cover of the bottom book and then just stack the rest of them on top. The clock was a gift from my Grandma, and the picture below is of some of my family.

The framed leaf shown in the third photo is a nostalgic piece for me, and actually one of my most recent additions. This summer, on the way home across Canada, we spent a couple of days in my hometown of Tillsonburg, Ontario. I picked up this leaf and a couple others from the park across the street from my childhood home and pressed them in a book. I had mostly forgotten about the leaves by the time we rolled back into Calgary, but I was reminded when they happened to be pressed in one of the books on my floating shelves. I picked up three old frames second hand, and have framed one for myself (shown above) and one for each of my siblings (for Christmas. sshh.) It's interesting how, while I didn't spend a great number of years in that home, it's still a very significant memory for me. This leaf reminds me of years past and seasons spent amoung the tall oak trees.

HIP HOP turntable watercolour, framed.

When I think back to my initial vision of creating a portrait of the queen using pennies, I don't remember it looking like this at all. Done on canvas, I first painted the background, then glued on each of the pennies into the shape of the queen. It stayed that way for a while before I randomly painted the black border, added the grey paint running from the top and finally spray painted "MINT" as the final layer. If I remember correctly, and I think I do, I was inspired by a conversation about feminist art, along with the royal wedding of Kate & William, and the decision to retire the penny. It seemed to me as though the queen herself, and the coin she appears upon, were being phased out together; coincidentally or not. To me, each of the pennies can be thought of as individual women coming together for a united cause. Don't worry, I'll save the potential feminist rant for another time.

Painted tree on Washburn guitar

The sugar skull/turn table piece was mostly done in watercolours, with some acrylic details to finish. This was a Sunday afternoon project, inspired by the "HIP HOP" graphic I found in, and cut out of, a magazine. I dig music, and that's that.

Speaking of music, I have a number of musical instruments; largely thanks to my father, who I share this love for music with. For Christmas one year, we both ended up getting one of these little Washburn "rover" guitars. Much smaller than a full sized acoustic, these are meant to be taken along for the ride. Mine hangs on my wall. I was inspired to paint a tree, because trees are beautiful and because I enjoy playing with the theme of growth. Done in acrylics, cross legged on the floor. I remember not even taking off the strings; I just loosened them and did my best to paint around them. I like how this one turned out. One day though, I'd like to apply some kind of top layer to protect the paint during playing. Something to look into.

canvas, stitched with yarn and a darning needle

I actually created this next one as a gift for my partner, who I share a love for cycling with. As companions on our long cycling journey this past summer, we've seen each other through some challenging days. It was interesting to see us take turns between needing support and being the one to provide it. I did this piece by essentially cross-stitching yarn through canvas. I threaded my darning needle and then stitched along the lines I had drawn earlier with pencil. The design itself is something I came up with on my own, though I'm sure it isn't the first time someone has repurposed the wheels on a bike for the sake of art.

crocodile in a smoking jacket. watercolour on newspaper.

And finally, here's a crocodile in a smoking jacket. Completely random in regard to any significant inspiration. Again, I used primarily water colour and then finished the piece using acrylic paint. I guess I just wanted to paint a crocodile. It's  funny to me how, when I consider this image, that I don't question why this crocodile is standing on two legs, wearing a jacket and smoking a cigarette, but how the jacket stays on without him having any shoulders.

And there you have it. I've shared some of the personal pieces found in my home, and hopefully inspired you to indulge in a creation of your own.

smells like burning

Today, I walked in my front door to be greeted by the smell of burning plastic.

Of course, my first instinct was to follow my nose; what was causing this? Had I left the coffee maker on? Did I forget to turn the flatiron off before leaving the house? Will my home insurance cover the potential damage? Why is my cat looking at me like that? What have I done?!

After confirming the source was neither the flatiron or the coffee maker, I asked myself what other appliance in my house gets hot. I opened the dishwasher.

And there it was. Sure enough, one of my small rubbermaid lids ended up against the heating element at the bottom of my dishwasher, causing it to melt and burn. These things are supposed to be "dishwasher safe", right?

I've understood from a very young age that plastic isn't likely to actually catch fire before melting, but I've never really investigated the reason for this. After my dishwasher incident today, I've done some reading on burning plastic. If you're also curious as to why plastic melts first and then burns, check this out.

Now, what exactly am I smelling? I've visited Rubbermaid's FAQ site for some information in regard to the composition of these containers, but didn't have much success.

Someone did ask though about the fire rating of these containers. The Rubbermaid answer was this: 

Answer: 

"Rubbermaid Home Products are not treated with flame- retardants and most will burn. They are household products and have not been submitted to any agency for flammability testing or certification. Most will melt at temperatures between 260 and 320 degrees Fahrenheit and will self-ignite at about 600 degrees Fahrenheit."

600 Degrees Fahrenheit!? Well say, now I'm curious as to how hot my dishwasher gets! Surely, it can't be as hot as a pizza oven! 

Here's a pretty straight forward explanation of how dishwashers work , but this article states that heating elements reach a meager 140 degrees. Can that be true when I've seen recipes for how to cook fish in a dishwasher? (Wow, that might actually end up smelling worse than my plastic lid). At any rate, none of the estimates I found today came anywhere close 600 degrees. I guess that means I don't need to worry about burning the house down...but should I worry about the smell?

When plastic burns, it releases dangerous dioxins. Have I mentioned I immediately opened all the windows? Have I mentioned it wasn't warm today? Have I mentioned the way my cat was looking at me? Dioxins are scary stuff, and no one should be breathing them in. Don't burn plastic. End of story.

And maybe remember to put your little rubbermaid lids in the silverware tray going forward; I know I will. For now though, I'll have to tolerate an incomplete rubbermaid set. sigh. Life's so hard. 

patchwork.

Recently I have been unable to wear my favorite pair of jeans, due to huge holes all down the legs. Starting out as a pair of "worn-in" jeans from American Eagle, I have never found a pair of jeans that fit so good since. But those small little holes have progressively grown larger and large in the last few years, thanks to me shoving my feet through them every time I put them on, to a point where they are simply not aceptable in my mind. I toyed around with the idea of getting rid of them, not being into the "worn" look as much these days, but I couldn't let them go. This led to my idea of patching them. I had no idea what type of fabric to use, but eventually I decided on while lace. 

Materials:
-Patching Material (in my case, lace!)
-Fabric Glue
-Sewing Pins
-Needle & Thread or a Sewing Machine

I started by washing my jeans and then turning them inside out. I measured the fabric (a little larger than the hole I was patching) and then put newspaper underneath the hole, just to prevent me from accidentally glueing the sides together. Next I put a thin bead of fabric glue around the hole, as close as I could to the edge. From there I put the fabric down (make sure it is the right way), and made sure it was glued on all sides, and stuck down. I did this for each hole in my jeans, and allowed them to dry over night. Next is where I made my first mistake.

I was so excited to wear my jeans that I thought I wouldn't need to reinforce the patches by sewing them. I put them on and set off to help my brother move, which turned out to be fatal for two of my lovely patches before the day was over. The major problem was the area around the knee, where the fabric is constantly stretched to its maximum. So a tip for everyone, make sure you have enough fabric for the knee area (a fabric with slight a stretch seems like a good idea) and then reinforce patched areas that will take more strain than others with thread (you can do this with a sewing machine, or needle and thread. I opted for needle and thread because my mom wasn't around and I have no idea how to thread a bobbin on our sewing machine..)


If anyone has any tips for patchwork, I would greatly appreciate it! This was my first attempt, so I can use all the advice I can get :)

Office Supplies!

I will admit, I am one of those people who go crazy for office supplies. I have drawers full of supplies I use, trying to stay as organized as possible. When it comes to my desk, I am definitely OCD. I love going back to school shopping to get fun notebooks and pen, and even have a slight sharpie addiction. One thing I have found throughout years of wandering through Staples and Office Depots is that they are always trying to sell customers cute little things for tons of extra money. Previously I was one of those people who got suckered into buying all the pretty things for double or triple the price, but recently (due to a severe money crunch thanks to MRU tuition...) I have stopped buying unnecessary products - and am I ever glad I did! I still love those cute office supplies, but I have found a way of making my desk at home look just as fun, with a fraction of the cost. Today I am going to show you how I made super boring paper clamps into something fun :)

First, I took simple paper clamps (I got a box of 50 for $3 at Staples), and cut scrap paper out to fit the top of the clamp. Then, I used Mod Podge (a crafters bff) and glued the paper onto the clamp. I then put another layer of Mod Podge on overtop of the paper to make it more durable. Thats it - all it took. Seriously one of the simplest crafts I have ever done. I finished "fancifying" over half the box in under and hour.

I know a lot of people will think this is entirely useless, which in a practical sense it is. This is just an idea for those of us who like the cute little things, yet don't have the money to spend on it. Being an office supplie freak myself, I am constantly using thing such as paper clamps, and while I am using them, why not have them look fun too? My program at Mount Royal (Information Design) plays on my creative side, allowing me to look at things in both a useful and aesthetic light. Simple craft projects such as this is not only way to do something fun, it provides me with a much needed break from school, and results in something fun to use. I have friends who love office supplies just as much as me, so it can even be something I add to a birthday card, just as a little extra something.

"Dd" is for flat tire and colander

Well, my dreams of a shoulder season bike ride were once again thwarted by unforgiving gravel and aggressive inner-city drivers. There I was, standing alone in the dark with only my breath in the freezing air to keep me company, holding a bike frame attached to one very flaccid, very useless, front tire. "D" is for flat tire.

It's impressive how quickly bicycles can go from being incredibly efficient to incredibly purposeless. Such a reliable invention, yet so vulnerable to the most insignificant shards of rock and glass. You'll never see it coming; one minute you're silently cutting through the air, racing across the pavement, and the next, you're walking your bike to the closest sign of civilization in search of rescue.

Ironically, it was just a couple days ago I was standing in the cycling section of MEC, weighing out the option of suiting my bicycle up with some winter tires. I decided to take my chances, of course, and to save the purchase for another season. That being said, I'm not sure this most recent flat will do anything to change my mind. It probably won't.

Now, of course I own more than one bicycle, but the balmy temperature of +5 degrees Celsius urged me to take my road bike for a spin that evening. There's no bicycle with more sex appeal than a slick cyclo-cross; I couldn't resist.

Fast forward to after I get rescued from outside the Humpty's Restaurant on McLeod Trail; I'm at home, and it's time to repair my ride.


Step One: flip the bike upside down so you can easily remove the flat. In this example, I'll be removing the front tire. In order to squeeze the tire out from between the cantilever brakes, be sure to remove any remaining air from the tube. Since I had already lost all of my air on the top of Spiller Rd, this was not necessary. My wheel came off with ease.

Step Two: Grab your replacement tube and the levers required to complete the job. Be very careful to not grab the wrong tubes from the bike shop. I've learned this lesson the hard way, which is a story I'll save for another post. I will tell you this though; hitchhiking in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, does wonders for teaching one a lesson. Yank the old tube out of the wheel; valve first.

Step Three: Inflate the replacement tube only enough so that it forms a circle. You don't want too much air in it to start with because that will only make it harder to eventually fit the tire around the rim. Work the new tube into the tire without actually removing the tire from the rim.

Step Four: Slowly, and patiently, work the rubber tire back into position around the rim. Be careful that the new tube doesn't squeeze out between the tire and the rim; the last thing you need is another flat! Use the levers to help work the tire into place.

Step Five: Reattach the now repaired wheel onto the frame and inflate your tire to the appropriate PSI. Replace the tire valve, make sure your wheel is secure, and while you're at it, check that there's enough air in your other wheel. May as well!

Step Six: Go for a bike ride because it's great and will make you feel like you're 10 years old again!

Seeing the world through little windows

Stamp collecting has long-since been a passion of mine...since I was old enough to send a letter to my grandma all on my own. Now I know that hardly anyone ever uses 'snail mail' anymore, except for my grandma probably lol, but I still get so excited when I see an envelope in the mail with a stamp on it.

Postage stamps remind me of the good ole days when life was easier and simpler, before the advent of emails and smartphones, when you can personalize a message with your unique penmanship. Letter-writing showed that you actually put thought and effort and feeling into what you wanted to say to someone. It showed that you took time out of your busy schedule to sit and think about this person and device a personal message to them. Not only does letter-writing show a thought process, but it shows commitment as well: you have to fold that letter, fit it into an envelope and travel to the post office to buy a stamp and mail it to its intended destination.

I see postage stamps as a window into the life and culture of the city or town it is being mailed from. It tells a little story about the people that live there and what they're about. These are the main reasons that I enjoy collecting stamps - it opens my mind to the many peoples in all the far reaches of earth.

When I started stamp collecting at about age 10, it was to occupy my time with something other than playing with barbie dolls but as time progressed and I began to look at things differently, I saw that these tiny pictures held a whole new meaning - they could make me imagine what it would be like to travel to all these wonderful places. For me, it's kinda like collecting snow globes I guess - it reminds me of where I've been and where I want to go. It gives me something eye-pleasing that I could sit and day dream about.

I know that we are on the brink of completely obliterating the use of postage stamps to mail letters and packages, but until then I'll be collecting and dreaming about all my little worlds out there.

crispo-facto

I love designing posters, comics, logos, and anything else I can put together in Adobe. Working in media and communications, the creative suite is an everyday tool for me. Though I do this as my job, I'm inspired regularly to take on personal projects for myself or for friends. One of my friends, Crispin, is especially inspirational.

If my life were on board the Starship Enterprise, Crispin would be Data. Hopefully that sums it up well enough. Who doesn't love Data?! I could hang out with Data all day! (I didn't write that assuming Crispin would eventually read this post, though he very well might. We might even hang out afterwards.)

Anyway, the point is I've started to throw together simple designs based on conversation with Crispin. Consider this an internet meme currently circulating my immediate group of friends.

I call them "Crispo-Facto's"

This first one, titled "POSH", paraphrases Crispo's explanation of the word's origin. I'm not sure if he's correct about this or not, but I'm absolutely thrilled by the possibility. Where does he learn such trivia? No one can be certain.

Last week, I created this one called "International Orange" after Crispo asked for my help in identifying a specific colour. While we kept looking for something called "Search & Rescue Red", the colour he was looking for turned out to be "international orange". I was able to find the CMYK code on wikipedia's "list of colours", but neither of us know enough about paint mixing to understand how that will translate into vehicle paint. Maybe there's a software program that does this? Something to look into I suppose.

Isn't he lovely? While these are only the first couple editions of the Crispo-Facto, I trust that there are still many to come. He does keep providing me with consistent material, after all.