At art school, upcycling and reappropriating found objects was a key focus of my art practice. I used to trawl the streets to see what goodies people had thrown away and think of ingenious ways that I could incorporate trash and unwanted items into compositions I was working on. The concept was to inject whatever had been discarded with new meaning and attribute value once more. Here are a couple of examples from my degree show work:
My artwork started to spill into everyday scenarios where I always wanted to find a use for something I was about to throw away, from using an old sauce jar to store bobbins or using a larger pot as a vase.
Now that I’ve shared my upcycling ideas with you, I wanted to set my readers a little challenge.
Upcycling Ideas
I want you to tell me what clever ways you have upcycled old things from jam jars, boxes to clothing? Perhaps you’re already working on a project?
Clever storage specialist Bedroom Storage Maker, who offer wardrobe storage systems, are offering one lucky reader £25 to spend in Hobbycraft!
If you share your ideas with me you could use the voucher to realise an upcycling or craft project.
Here’s how you can enter:
Let me know your tips and tricks for upcycling or revamping around your home. You can either:
- Leave a comment on this blog post
- Tweet me @ZoeLeeSkelton using the hashtag #scavengerupcyclingtips
- Drop me an email at zoeleeskelton@gmail.com with your tip and your details so that I can contact you should you win
I will alert the lucky winner who submitted the best tip by the 31 August 2015. The prize is courtesy of Bedroom Storage Maker.
Good luck – oh and if you’re stuck for inspiration there are plenty of upcycling ideas on Pinterest.
