Week Three

Weekly Reflection

The final week of my Senior Project was the most successful week. Between completing my projects, I conducted some very interesting interviews with two different up-cycling artists and collected useful information from the transfer station. Comparing the two sides of the trash world will be difficult but interesting. I also spoke with Pete about the business of his craft gallery and I read up on how to sell handmade crafts in a store and online.
I learned that messages in art are more important than I had previously thought––that is, of course, what art is about. I discovered what emotion I want to evoke from people with my work and how I would like to do it. I did not apply enough of a message in this set of projects, but in the future, I definitely will. Finally, I learned which of my pieces attract people. The girls especially liked my gadgets: the inner-tube bracelet with a soda-tab buckle and the license plate birdhouse got their attention and I already received orders for some. Hopefully I will be able to sell some on an online craft site called Etsy.
I was having difficulties morphing all of my information and the three aspects of my project together (the business, the sustainability, and the art). This week was beneficial in that I got a little closer to the common theme of all three subjects.
Because I started working on my exhibit items on day one, the rest of my work will be loaded with research to assist my projects. I am excited to present on Wednesday and I hope it is informational for others.

Teenage Wasteland

Day 15
5 hrs

Last day today (sort of). Guarantee I will be working all weekend and up until the exhibit on Wednesday. I need to write my self-evaluation which I've already started and figure out what exactly I want in my display. My city scape still needs to be glued down and there are a few touch-ups here and there that Pete remarked on during his excellent critique. I was happy that he was happy. And I was happy to hear his comments––he may not be an up-cycler, but he knows what a clutch is and how one should look, etc. etc.

I'm so pleased that I worked at Vessels and Jewels and I'm more than excited to put all the pieces of my project together: the interviews, the artwork, the facts, etc.

I'm thinking of displaying my pieces tomorrow night in the Coffee House (what used to be the Ski Shop) from 5-7 since my bestie Jackson is doing his photo exhibit only on the first floor. Come by tomorrow night to see his stuff (and mine). If not, see you Wednesday!
Soph

Completion

Day 14
8 hrs

DONE! The dress is frilly, sharp-edged, somewhat flattering. The table is a beautiful shade of light blue with a dark drawer to contrast it.

I hot-glued the soda can frills to the plastic bag skirt and added a paper bag layer to the top of the skirt to hide imperfections. The sides are "buttoned" with four paper-clips (which are surprisingly fashionable and functional).

I finished sewing up little bits of everything and tomorrow I will finish the city-scape.

Can't wait for Pete's critique.

Soph

Demolition and Determination

Day 13
5 hrs

       More progress! I'm definitely starting to stress though. I finished the helium tank baby chair––it's upholstered with some scrap fabric I had, rivets, and hot-glue.
      I hemmed the cardboard table with some silk tape I got at the hospital after Papa's surgery in March (I'd been looking for paper tape everywhere: Michael's, JoAnn's, the post-office... And when I told Papa of my lack of success, the nurse overheard and came back with rolls and rolls of the medical equivalent). I spray painted it but both the primer and the blue paint ran out. So I'll brush paint it tomorrow.
       I also cut a billion or so cans for the fringe. And the bottoms of the cans may be a candle-chandelier with the tabs and old telephone wire as the chains to hang it.
      Lastly, I spoke with two transfer station directors who gave me the numbers, the facts, and their opinions on making money off of demolition. Turns out on 5% of Andoverians don't recycle properly and they've been seeing a decrease in construction materials come through because people are using every last scrap and nail in these hard-economic times. "But ideally," Reggie said, "We wouldn't make money off of the large quantity of trash we get." That made me happy.


I'm getting nervous and excited, worried but pleased with my work. Everything is speeding up exponentially. ARGH.

Soph

Objects and Objection

Day 12
6 hrs

I wish I was capable of bluntness. This morning I had an interview with the sweetest artist Paul Glorioso––for two hours straight. Everything he said was purely interesting and full of stories, but little of it was dire to my project. However, Paul loves messages the same way Carmelita does. Every piece he has says something about land use, religion, poverty, happiness, marriage.... And he stands behind every piece he has when they get rejected from art shows because he believes in what it has to say. That to me is impressive. He seemed frustrated that only five of his artworks have sold, but he's proud of what he has made and of the 35 years of teaching he put in on Long Island. Seeing his junk made my junk look like dust mites. Literally. His garage, cellar, attic, other attic, bathroom, bedroom. Full to the brim with objects and objection to the way the world works.

I worked at Pete's for an hour before lunch sewing buttons onto my coffee bags and coin purses as well as the soda-tab buckles for bracelets. Back at school I finished painting my baby chair and added the stuffing, cut the fabric, and prepared it for "upholstering" (which will be done with rivets since the steel is ridiculously thick). I modified the cardboard table and fixed some troublesome areas. Tomorrow I'll find a good paint––I want something classy. Lastly, I cut about 20 soda cans for more fringe on my dress. Attachment is the final step.

Tomorrow should be productive or I'll start stressing.

I'm going to go dream of rooms full of junk and people's jaws dropping at the messages my art gives (not sure if there is any yet... I hope so).

Soph

Keepin' It Trashy

Day 11
4 hrs

I'm getting so close to being done with my projects!
My cardboard table just needs a top and a paint job. I added all the sides and sanded the sides today.
The helium tank seat needs a little cushion––I cut more of it without help and painted it.
The aluminum cans of my dress just need to be (fashionably) stapled together and added to the skirt. The zipper is attached and the bust is fastened to the straps.

I put together my survey results and began my self-evaluation. It's interesting to look at what my original goals were and to see what my project has morphed into.

Tomorrow I have an interview with Paul Glorioso and then I'll head to New London for some gallery time. I also need to spend a few minutes cleaning my spaces––there's "junk" everywhere.

Keep it trashy.
Soph

Week Two

Weekly Reflection

            This week was an especially productive week. I completed countless projects and added several to my already bountiful list. My cardboard chair was completed, a Starbucks handbag––as well as its accompanying coin purse and clutch––is finished, egg-carton decorations are set up, two lampshades are mounted, and the dress is coming along beautifully. I completed my survey on Friday and discovered that surveys are extremely difficult to keep unbiased yet clear and effective. Hopefully the information I gathered is accurate and representative of those who took it.

           Today I had an interview with Carmelita Moe, the sweetest trash-artist I will probably ever meet. She introduced me to her rugs made of sweaters and old fabrics, her birdhouses from lunchboxes, her entire garden of sculptures from tires, lamps, golf clubs, etc. But more importantly, she sparked a thought: “What message am I sending?” I realized that I want a more definitive message on my pieces. Both Peter and Carmelita also reminded me of this: Nothing is ever finished, but you can decide when it’s at a point that you love it enough to stop. Hopefully in this final week I’ll come up with ways to do just that.

           I'm also discovering that good business in art should only come from love of what the artist is doing.  Carmelita said that "if you love your work it takes on a whole other dimension," and I'd like to believe that's better than running a business. Next weekend, she's having a sale to make some money to get her granddaughter's wisdom teeth removed––but she doesn't oblige anyone to actually pay for her stuff, she'd rather give than sell. Tuesday I have another interview with Paul Glorioso, a trash artist in West Andover who sends his stuff to galleries. It will be interesting to see the different business aspects of art.

          This week was more than enjoyable, it was entertaining and informative. I was surprised at how well my survey and interview went over and I'm glad I learned so much.

Survey Success

Day 10
6 hrs

Today was filled with fun and success! The cardboard table with a drawer is practically done. The license plate birdy house is COMPLETE. My informational survey was successful––turns out most people wish they littered less. The survey was hard, however, because wording the questions was next to impossible. I had a hard time remaining unbiased yet clear. Hopefully the answers I received best represent everyone's opinions.

I'm starting to really crack down on what needs to be finished and what projects needs to be forgotten.  After tomorrow evening I will no longer be dedicated to putting on a performance in the afternoon with band recording, so hopefully I'll have 5 uninterrupted days of Trashland.


Soph

The Clash of the Trash

Day 9

5 hrs

So many projects! I've started something new practically every day. It's coming down to decision time––I've decided to do them all.

Today:

--I tried to make a soda-can coin purse. It was a trial (and an error), but could be something very classy if I get it right.

--My dear friend Maggie celebrated her 19th birthday today, so I made a bracelet from a fabric sample that Edibeth gave me with a soda tab as a buckle.... It's actually very nice and could potentially be marketable on Etsy.

--My license plate birdhouse is coming along beautifully. I riveted it today and even made two little "porches" where birdseed can be put. All I have left is to wire the roof to the body.

--35 egg-carton cups are now morning glories that will go over string lights (they set great mood-lighting). The scraps look like little birds, so I may add a bit to my dress.

Pete helped me a bunch with a few critiques (in the form of questions: "Do you think it's done? Do you like it the way it is?") and suggestions on the birdhouse. I really might have to start writing his name on a couple of my pieces.....

Tomorrow will be just as fun-filled:

Polar swim.

A new cardboard piece (a table with a drawer).*

Final birdhouse touches.

Some dress work.

A cushion for the helium-tank seat.

Band-recording concert.

Sleep.

I'm not wasting time, but it is time full of waste.

Soph

*am I crazy?

Junk in my Trunk

Day 8
5 hrs

Yesterday someone asked me where my trash-obsession originated. Well, Susan Wasinger's book "Eco Craft" is addicting. She is a mastermind and her book is full of amazing up-cycling projects. She gave me the idea of ironing plastic six-pack rings and plastic bags, which I did today! I made a nice white lampshade of two "Thank You!" bags from Hannaford's. It looks beautiful against a light––almost like rice paper.

I added the final coat of shininess to my chair... I can almost see my reflection! (Not really.) I also sewed up the black coffee-bag clutch. Tomorrow I'll add the "button."

My lovely friend Adam Silverstein also helped with my helium-tank chair. It's finally cut open! It is small, it is definitely a children's seat, but I think it'll be nice.

I also spent some time with my dress. I stapled the milk jug petals together and found that they stuck out too much and created a bubble effect. I'll find a solution soon. I also need to figure out the attachment of all the parts.

Now I have projects compiling in my Volvo. The poor fourteen-year old might break under the weight.

Soph

Coffee Bag Bag and the Bagging of Another

Day 7
5 hrs

It's really nice to have something(s) to show off. Today I whipped out my bag made of Starbucks coffee bags at Vessels & Jewels and Pete started flying off with ideas: "Longer handle, girls like to put bags over their shoulders"; "Tape some stripes of coffee grinds"; "Add an inside pocket." Pretty soon he'll be doing my work for me.... He got excited and retrieved the used grinds from Ellie's, the coffee-shop next door, as well as a larger coffee-bag that I will now turn into a black clutch (the little plastic freshener that is in every bean bag will be used as the button. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go look in yours).

In all non-modesty, the bag is super-cool. Rectangular with a metallic stripe across the middle and vertical strips of coffee grinds trapped under the clear packaging tape really makes the bag urbanized and artsy-fartsy.

I also put on the first coat of polyacryllic satin varnish on my cardboard chair. It's nice and glossy, a little yellowed from the wood-glue I used for the newspaper papier-maché. I'll do a second coat tomorrow.

The reason for the title ("Bagging of Another") is because I might bag the license-plate birdhouse or at least redesign it. I didn't plan very well and the plates aren't bending the way I want. I may have to incorporate other reclaimed items and make it more trashified.


All-in-all, fantastic day.
Soph

Productivity (and The Product!)

Day 6
8 hrs

I completed my chair today! Cardboard in and out, a little hot glue, and newspaper papier maché for decoration. I even had a 200-pounder to try it out for me. Cha-ching! It can hold two-hundred fifty (I had him hold some things), maybe more.

Yesterday I did a bunch of work, too. I began a bag made of old coffee bags and it's looking very hip and Starbucksy. More work on the bust, an advancement in the skirt of milk-jug-petals and Coca-Cola-fringe. Everything is coming along nicely.

Beside the beautiful spring rain, Kinley paid the home a visite and a package from my beloved Mountain instructors came!

Rain, rain go away!
Project time is here to stay.

Until tomarraw.
Sophster

Week One

Weekly Reflection

This week was a great first glimpse into a self-scheduled work-week. In my projects, I was very successful and productive. I have learned that planning is key––every moment needs to be scheduled, but time for the unexpected happenings have to be planned for as well. I was a little overzealous with my ability to finish projects quickly, and therefore I have dropped several pieces from my list. Also, the business of owning a gallery seems much harder than I had thought. Peter has the ideal set-up of his studio in his craft gallery, but without that option, I think starting such a store would be extremely difficult. I loved working in Vessels & Jewels as a second workplace and as a place of inspiration.

  I had some difficulties balancing my personal life with my Senior Project work. Because of these unexpected happenings and my sickness, I was not fully in my “zone.” I was distracted and often frustrated. There were several set-backs, such as the ripping of my cardboard chair, but I thankfully had the motivation to start again and improve my design, and I have started storing my projects elsewhere.
  Next week I will create a more concrete schedule and allow slots of time for seeing a local up-cycler, Carmelita Moe, and I will pay a visit to the transfer station. I hope to do my survey and more research on sustainability and the arts. Luckily, I am far enough on my biggest projects to continue on with the fact-based things and the business aspect of the art world.


Until tomorrow night--
Soph

Drama and a Dress

Day 5
7 hrs

I've had plenty of drama in the past 48 hours, so this morning I woke coughing up a pinch pot, ate breakfast, and went straight to work on my dress. It's now being assembled on my dress form, an antique beauty that my mom got me (thank you so much). There is now a liner made of ironed plastic bags with the base lined with ironed 6-pack rings! I cut cans into fringes that will go over the plastic bags and started really attaching the bodice. I'm so very close to being done with the cardboard chair, too.

Tomorrow is formal! Hopefully I'll get some work in before and after band recording. I'd like to complete the chair, drill the holes for the protein-powder-canister-birdhouse, and add a zipper to the dress.

Sophie

What a Waste!

Day 4

4 hrs.

Today was Earth Day at Proctor! It was great to see not only me picking up bottle caps and chip bags from the ground... I accomplished a lot of my cardboard chair––only the sides need to be glued on!

I also started putting together that survey. It was interesting (and very frightening) to read the numbers:

9,960 junk mail letters printed, shipped delivered, disposed of in the U.S. alone every 3 seconds.

400,000 bottles consumed every minute in the U.S.

320,000 kilowatt hours of electricity wasted in the U.S. every minute from inefficient light bulbs.

2 million plastic bottles every 5 minutes in the U.S.

I went to Peter and Rachel's around 5pm to see the Gallery Crawl. Because of its poor advertisement and the fact that it was a Thursday, it was absolutely a "crawl." But I really enjoyed spending time with the two of them together.

I'm feeling good with my projects, they seem to really be moving along. Photos are coming, I promise.

Sophie 

Trash Stupor

Day 3
7 hrs.

There's an absolutely ridiculous explanation for this late post. Pops and I made a plan: he's hiking to the Bulkhead tonight and I have the Volvo to take the manure he needs home and close the chickens. Two friends who I haven't seen in months called and asked me to hang out. At 8:30pm, after powering through many projects, I drove home. The chickens were already closed, there was no manure, so I wasted gas. I went to Caroline's house, watched a movie till 11:45. Once in my car again, the gas light came on.
This is semi-responsible teenage thought process:
-Fart. I'll drive to town and get gas.
-Wait––I only have cash and it's closed.
-I'll take the other car which Papa parked somewhere on campus...
-I can't find the Mini-Cooper.
-Security is following me.
-"Dafne, I'm sorry to wake you up, may I sleep in your room?"
-"Alan and Sarah, I know it's midnight, but may I sleep in Dafne's room?"
-I need to write my blog.
-"Internet shuts off at 12 on campus."
-.....It's 12:08.

So it was a Charlie Foxtrot. I'll just have to post this in the morning.

Until 8:30pm, my day was incredibly productive. At Vessels & Jewels, I started wrapping the netting for my straps with strips of colorful soda cans. So the upper part of my dress is complete, minus the assembly.

Back on campus, I began a birdhouse made of old liscence plates and another out of a large blue plastic container (originally a protein-powder jug), moved forth with my cardboard chair (which looks fantastic and is super-sturdy), and cut more milk jugs for the skirt of the dress. I wasn't able to cut the helium tank yet––I'm waiting for some supervision. It's a daunting and daring feat.

Tomorrow (May 12th) is the Gallery Crawl in New London from 4-7pm, so I'll be doing projects on campus until then. I will also be doing a survey on how effective these trash-artists' messages are:
Tim Webster and Sue Noble (http://adholes.com/postings/371ec15d176e4ecdb648f640454ac9dc)
Chris Jordan (http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/rtn/#moon)
and others.

Hopefully tonight I'll be in bed before 10:30.
Sophie

Rough

Day 2

5 hrs.

Why do the strangest things always happen to me? [Guillain Barré syndrome, Pityriasis rosea, a lost toenail, the flu and stomach bug simultaneously...]

Last night I started coughing uncontrollably, didn't sleep well, woke up with a crooked neck... (the complaining continues). Turns out I inhaled a lot of clay particles yesterday because I did not heed Patrice's warning to never work with dry clay. So my lungs hurt, my stomach hurts, the knots plaguing my back hurt, my chest muscles are shot. And I'm tired.

However––after finishing my designs, I made what Pete thinks will be the "centerpiece" of my dress. A bodice of aluminum cans with soda tabs wired together to cover the cleavage. I also cut the net I found to make the straps and I'll string more tabs in the squares as decoration.*

So the bodice is all cut out and riveted, the straps and tabs are ready to be attached, and the rest of  my materials are collected (mostly (I'm still searching for 6-pack rings)). Then I went to finish my cardboard chair––oh wait, someone has ripped off two of the legs because it looked like trash! There goes an hour or so of my work. If there's anything I don't enjoy, it's a set-back. I feel like I'm playing "Candyland" or "Chutes and Ladders." Why did I land on the evil licorice-man or the slide?

With all my whining and misery, two things stick out that make today wonderful: Pete's eclectic music taste and Jolie Hughes saving my butt at the Tracy Memorial Library since the Viandier library-card is in Mexico. The book I got is called "Don't Throw it Out: Recycle, Renew, and Reuse to Make Things Last" by Lori Baird. It's a fantastic book filled with projects and techniques to keep your car, fridge, clothes, etc. last longer and how to repair them if they do wear down (or how to up-cycle them into something entirely different). I highly recommend it for anyone who is living in the 21st century (that's you). 

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Throw-Out-Recycle-Things/dp/1594865779

*(I will post photos tomorrow if I can get a camera.)

Collector's Items (To Some)

Day 1

6 hrs.

Trash isn't exciting to most. But for me, it's treasure. I must have yelled out, "Why would you throw that out?" and "Can I have that [soda bottle, spoon, chip bag] when you're done?" fifty times today. I drove around New London and to transfer stations and ran through the Proctor campus seeking aluminum cans, bottle caps, corrugated cardboard, and other "refuse."

I met Pete at 9:30 this morning at Vessels & Jewels to discuss the logistics of the following three weeks. It came down to this: Senior Project exists for me to do the things that I have a passion for. It sounds odd (to say the least) that trash is my passion, but I can't pretend that junk doesn't get me excited. Turning waste into usable items is gratifying, very inexpensive, and––most importantly––sustainable. So Pete told me to spend my energy on the projects I had in mind and bring them to the gallery to work on during the slow spots in the day.

Back on campus after gathering what I would call "collector's items," I sped toward the industrial design workshop by Maintenance. An old goal net, a helium tank, light bulbs, egg cartons, et cetera––I am in garbage heaven. I began designing my dress: Arizona-mango-iced-tea-can bodice, soda-tab straps, six-pack-ring "lace," and milk-jug decoration. Then I moved on to a cardboard chair. I'm about half-way done already and it's the best piece of cardboard furniture I've made thus far. I sanded the helium tank and marked where I'll cut it tomorrow to make a child's chair. What a fantabulous day.

Think trashy thoughts––

Soph