New Projects in Troubled Times
Recycled bird covered with empty 5-lb flour packaging - one of many hard-to-find grocery items these days (and yes, for sale)
Ste Tura de Lanier, posing with hope and patience by the back door.
Let’s try this again….
I rebooted the Beyond Garbage Project last month. Woohoo! I always enjoy finding ways to reuse material to avoid throwing it out or divert it, at least momentarily, from the recycling bin. March 2020, at the beginning of the US lockdown during the covid-19 pandemic, seemed like the perfect time to energize people about using their trash in creative ways. We were off to a great start and had all that extra time (if we were unemployed) or were looking for creative ways to say at home.
As usual, I jumped straight in with enthusiasm and energy. As usual, I got overwhelmed and backed off after a few weeks. Some of this had to do with realizing I had to think a few things through in order to do this right (or in a way that supports my lower sustained energy). Some of this had to do with a lack of obvious connection with people “out there” (with a few fabulous exceptions!). Part of this had to do with underestimating how much my life has changed, even if it seems in many ways to be the same. I am a self-employed artist who is used to working at home and my husband is still employed, also used to working from home. Not much has really changed. And yet it has. Overwhelmingly. I needed to take time to breath, make a few masks, mourn the passing of my dear old dog, and get some real sleep.
I will continue to post about my explorations but with NO deadlines and no promises of what is to come next. The pressure from my own self-imposed requirements shut me down completely - so enough of that!
I am going to add posts here to point to the two projects I did start (mailing envelopes and cardboard). And I will try to continue to publish posts and pages that refer to each other as I move along through other materials. I know I am going to do something with elements from tea bags. I am also slowly preparing a shibori project, and that involves refurbishing some old clothes with stains and rips instead of throwing them away.
Thanks for joining me on this journey and I hope you stick around!
Stay safe and well and don’t forget to look around you - there’s still a lot of wonder out there.