Creative Re-use at the Tramway

Creative Reuse with the TOPS Parents Programme.

Claire Barclay with the TOPS Programme @Tramway, Glasgow April 2017

It's not everyday you get to rummage around in Contemporary Art recycling bins. However, courtesy of the Tramway, Glasgow - that's exactly what we did !

Several months ago contemporary artist Claire Barclay approached me with the idea of combining forces on a community reuse project. The idea was simple, create an installation using the excess and offcuts from her exhibition. This ended up being a tough gig as Claire is actually very frugal with her materials - Nothing goes to waste !

The second challenge was to engage a group of Mums from the TOPS Young Parents Programme. Our ambition was to challenge 'shop bought' play items and question whether they stifle or encourage imaginative play.

Collectively we created "A Place to Play" ! which was on display in conjunction with Claire's show "Yield Point".

It was a joy to see Claire explain the motivations behind her installation, and to hear the insightful questions from the group - it was their first brush with Contemporary Art ! When it came to making and play, the group came into their own. There was no stopping them. Their energy & enthusiasm is apparent in the final work which beckons you to come and play !

A joyful project and final interactive installation. The gallery staff reported children whooping with delight all day long. Kids dive bombing and fiddle with an exhibition is a rare treat indeed !

A Bit of a Lather

A sneak preview of the Govanhill Bath's "What's On" Summer programme. As yet not published - what with asbestos being found in the building, emails going astray and paper companies going bust it's all been a bit of a Soap this month ! It's Friday though I hear you cry ... no feet up just yet with TINAFS on Saturday ! The poster was done some time ago, but it's looking like a bit of modelling is required for Saturday - never a dull moment with these guys as clients !

Rags to Riches Biannual Fashion Show Poster

Social Media Events Banner

SUN Development

I was very happy to be asked to develop a design scheme for the newly formed Scottish Upcycling Network aka SUN. I was given a blank slate, go and create ! So had to create my own brief.

I started with attempting to delineate what an upcycling network should and shouldn't be. The "shabby chic" associations, DIYness and twee "makeovers" be gone, no hand drawn elements or frouf ! As a network they would have to face these negative preconceptions time and time again. 

Positively, the network has to be about business, remaking, remodelling and creating real change in perceptions. As Ikea publicly declared, (we have hit peak production) we need set these as priorities as the planet's resources are rapidly depleting.

So, bold, positive and bright highlighting reconstruction and remaking ! I love it !

Rags Marketing Materials

Govanhill Baths set up this social enterprise two years ago. I has taken that long for Rags to get a separate sense of self, I think we are starting to get there. After an inspired chat with B yesterday, I really got the impression that she now has a clear idea of what the project *is* rather than what it should be and that's great ! So many Enterprises start out with a big vision, wanting to do it all ... only for reality to set in when they haven't figured out who's sweeping the floor and paying for the milk ... I digress ... just lovely to see things starting to become more concrete ! Beautiful ! Anyway, here's my wee flyer that hopefully will help celebrate who Rags indeed are! Watch this space for information on my "Make your own Pouffe" workshop, hopefully they will be ready for the Christmas Fair !

Resourceful Mum

The Daily Record (Scotland) featured an article with me and the kids ! All about making do and mending. Who would've thought that putting a hem on your kids trousers could be headline news, but apparently that's how de-skilled we've become. We have to "turn people on" to the idea of consuming less ! Here's hoping it reaches those it needs to !

Grethe's Textile Art

Loving exploring this woman's site http://www.grethewittrock.com. Drawn to it naturally as she uses old sails as a canvas. Beautiful work !

Civilization and its Discontents

Elana Herzog

Supposed to have my Mind on the Money and Money on my Mind at the moment. So why is it that I can't stop thinking about art ? Nature of Mind, wandering off into beautiful distractions on the pretext of something more substantial than job applications ! My wanderings have taken me to the wonderful insubstantiality of Elana Herzog. This piece says it all Civilization and it's Discontents.  It's all connected, it will inform my Upcyling research and exhibition somehow.

It's been a while

Ok so I've been busy. Here's the latest update. Rags to Riches are going from strength to strength. Product development, Public Artworks and now a Fashion Show. Here's the artwork for the poster >>

It's Officially Christmas now

We are  now officially in the run up to christmas. I've just completed my first christmas e-card of the year ! I do love a lens flare, counters SAD effect of the dark nights ! I challenge anyone not to smile when they receive this via email.

Lovely Loop ! Bringing christmas cheer !

for more on Loop Recycling >

Rag Tag

I am excited about this project as it is close to my heart, and to my house.

Rags to Riches will focus on the upcyling of materials handed in to the Govanhill Baths Trust Charity shop. The shop's aim was initially to reduce their amount of donations that go straight to recycling.  Instead of shredding "rags" and they aim to create new garments or household objects from the reclaimed materials. They have  now opened a separate workshop with a dedicated space for training up project participants in basic sewing skills & pattern cutting.

Walking through the door sends me all aflutter, vintage sewing patterns; shelves with fabric sorted into colours; jars of cotton thread, again colour coded;  bins of  "treasure" aka scraps! My kinda place!

Creating the "Tag"

The design solution took the Govanhill Baths Trust logo as a starting point. It was important  for them that it looked like a sister project !

To make the circle look like a button, I added a double edge. I took the R's and mirrored them to look like a bow at the centre of the button. I love that it challenges the way you view things. Two R's , a bow or a butterfly ? When looked at creatively, a rag becomes a useful resource and through a process of change the caterpillar becomes the beautiful butterfly. The post of the R is a roman numeral 2, a pun on the "to" at the centre, or can be seen as a stitch holding the button on.

The bow/ butterfly on it's own will be used as a fabric stamp. Watch this space for shop signage, fabric stamps & general brand development. I hope that this is a stamp that locals will proudly wear, marking them out as individuals who care about waste, craftsmanship & have an eye for something uniquely beautiful !

StitchUP love in

Next week - Thurs 9th - is our 7th stitchUP session ! I plan to continue with my no sew rag rug, but I'm also looking for ideas for the kids to do. With it being feb I'd thought I'd look at some simple valentines crafts for kids. I will adapt so that the materials used are recycled. Here's a great idea for kids to learn some simple crochet technique >

Here's the tutorial for loveheart bookmarks >>

There are several variations on a theme for the woven loveheart basket. They can be made with thin card or stiff fabric. I like the tutorial for this one, it's thorough and simple to do >>

Follow the step by step instructions >>

I thought this project might be good for some of the older kids who have grasped the crochet basics and want to learn the double and treble stitches >>

Here's the "how to" from One Sheepish Girl >>

New Year, nothing new !

Usually with hindsight you can begin to see the threads of your life come together , a story starts to emerge. 2011 seemed a bit of a blur. I had a baby that didn't sleep through,I was doing the "forty something" reflection on life and I then started up a sewing "Upcyling" group.

When I started hosting stitchUP , it was to rekindle my love of the handmade, get out of the house and meet people but also to take a look at fashion - namely "What am I wearing?". Years of motherhood had taken it's toll Cacharel had been usurped by catch-a-snot.  Jeans and perma- cardi covered in various baby goo was now my uniform ! I had a wardrobe of clothes that I eventually had to accept would never fit me again.

When I began to think about fashion my initial response was panic. I didn't have time to put in the hours pouring over fashion mags & certainly didn't have the money to keep up. Last week's top trend was this week's fashion no no.  Surely this couldn't be ?!... I experienced the "solyent green" horror moment ... fashion was eating itself !!! Consumption at it's most ridiculous!

According to DEFRA (click here to link to sustainable clothing report) two million tonnes of clothing are bought in the Uk per yer, with the discount clothing (low cost, short life-span) making up 20% of the market. They also state 50% of all clothing ends up in landfill.

The life span of a garment from creating the resources;  farming cotton; dyeing fabrics; manufacturing materials wastage; distribution; product life-span, laundering and inevitable disposal there are very few areas where there are no adverse effects on the environment.

With this in mind, I aim to explore over the next year ways in which I can rethink my relationship to the clothes that I wear and their environmental impact.

The 4R's REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE

REFUSE

I can refuse to buy new clothes.

I can buy secondhand from websites, vintage boutiques, clothes swaps & charity shops.

I can refuse to buy clothes that have a high impact on the environment.

I can refuse to buy clothes that can't be recycled.

REDUCE

I can reduce the amount of clothing I buy

I can reduce the energy I use in laundering

I can reduce the amount of detergents I use

I can reduce the amount of clothing I need by repairing worn & damaged items

REUSE

I can grow my  reuse skills through practice & research

I can refashion garments that I no longer wear

I can give away garments to be reused by others

RECYCLE

I can recycle all materials where possible

I can choose materials that are easily recycled

I can choose where & how & by whom they are recycled - a choice which benefits both the environment & charity & not big business.

This is the beginning of my story for 2012 !