Stuff

The cheapest, most easily obtained version of art materials - stuff we already have.  My idea initiated with a dead tree in my front yard.  As soon as my boyfriend and I get around to hiring someone, it's going to be cut down.  A large majority of the wood will become firewood, but, inevitably, there will be pieces that aren't fit for burning, not to mention all the branches and twigs.  I'll likely stash the leftover wood somewhere to be used for art projects down the road.

The green glass I used to complete my wire sculpture ring was from a wine bottle, which I broke on my front porch and picked through to find the most ideal, small pieces.  Looking back, maybe I should have kept the larger broken shards for another project, but I have too much stuff as it is.

Anything already in the recycling can or box is game for art materials.  Old moving boxes and any cardboard, aluminum cans, glass bottles, used paper, old clothes you'll never wear again but couldn't get any money for, etc.  Kids' toys could be used within a piece of art and (hopefully) returned later on.

Along the lines of the dead tree, (we just moved in, so there are lots of issues that need to be addressed) my back yard has an overgrown blackberry bush, which I would gladly butcher and maybe use the pokey branches for some kind of sculpture.  Leaves fallen from a tree, dead flowers - maybe worthless otherwise but totally usable in art.

Another idea that came to mind is hair salons.  I'm getting my hair cut Tuesday, and I might ask my stylist if I could bag up my chopped hair and take it home.  If you're considering a hairy piñata, maybe it's time to get a trim.

-m.