WEEK 13 - Turn trash into (creative) treasure
As I mentioned in last week’s email, I’m feeling a lot more inspired lately.
The weather is getting warmer.
The kale in my garden magically reappeared after a long winter nap.
We just released a pack of PSD mural mockups after months of quietly working on them behind the scenes. (To me, there's no better feeling than having an idea and actually making it happen!)
However…
It feels a bit weird to have my creative drive back in gear and still be spending a lot of my time (ok, most of my time haha) at home or in the studio.
Like most of the world, I’m still keeping a safe distance.
Initially, this was weird, because I have historically gotten a lot of inspiration for creative projects from being out and about.
But instead of being frustrating, my current limitations are calling back to a time, early in my career, when I had to be creative with what I had available. (Which wasn’t much.)
I’m reminded of some of the most epic “aha!!” creative moments of my career because they have come from creative problem solving - doing what I could with what I had.
I used to repurpose everything for art projects. I didn’t have spare cash for lots of supplies so I used whatever I could find!
Tin cans became brush holders, anything paper went into the papier-mâché pile, thrifted jars became Wiggy Banks...
And it doesn’t take long, when you’re working like this, for your brain to start using those “limitation inspiration” muscles everywhere.
Boundaries or limitations can be frustrating, but they can also make our brains stretch in new directions. They almost force us to be creative, because we have to figure out how to get around (over, under, through) whatever’s blocking us.
Instead of feeling “stuck” you start feeling super empowered.
Which brings me to this week’s assignment…
I made these mini planters out of a beer can & some polymer clay!
Your assignment: Creatively upcycle something you'd normally throw away or recycle.
Thought starters: This can be ANYTHING you might normally toss. Start by looking around your space and finding some things that might be repurposed as art.
The idea is to do what you can with what you have.
Some examples:
Make some collage art with old magazines
Add hand lettering to a glass jar (I have a tutorial here for you!)
Use a piece of cardboard as a canvas for your design
Paint an empty oatmeal canister with a fun pattern
Cover a tin can with polymer clay
Use old newspaper to make a papier-mâché sculpture
Caption idea: explain how you transformed your “trash” into artistic treasure. What inspired you? How do you feel about what you created? Why did you choose that particular piece of “trash?”
Engagement tip: If you used a branded item, tag the company in your post! It takes two seconds, and you never know which person from the brand is paying attention to their social media and could take notice of your work.
You can also ask your audience what they might use for the same assignment, or how they might use your item differently.
Resources: I’m a big fan of papier-mâché and collage because I always seem to have a bunch of old newspapers and promotional mailers on hand. Here are some how-to links for both.
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Don’t forget to tag me @homsweethom and use the #HOMwork & #HOMwork2021 hashtag when you post on Instagram. I love looking through your excellent creations and sharing a few of my favs every week in my IG Stories before the next assignment is posted.
