Saturday 27 August 2011

Toe in the Water - Summer 2011





For the first time in years I've done a bit of art work I'm pleased with. It's been a big step  for me to consciously sit down and work on a project.  The plan evolved from an old nature book which I found in a charity shop. The original concept was to remove all the entries for animals and plants which were now extinct in England. The reaction of most people is that they are amazed I would be willing to destroy a book. The real shock should be the number of species which had become extinct since the book was published in the early 1900s.

These are just some of my favorite images, I'm still working on the book and project has gone beyond just removing the extinct species to experimenting with the images and material of the book itself.

Elle Decoration. Reclaim, recycle article.

The September issue of Elle Decoration contained a fascinating article on recycling outdated and shabby items, bought cheaply from flea markets, into stylish, modern and unique pieces. The side board, which had been transformed using a new set of legs and some high gloss enamel paint, really stuck with me.

I'm waiting for the videos of the transformations to be posted to on Facebook but it has prompted me to start looking for a new renovation project.