
In an age of Netflix, Spotify and iTunes, we continue to leave behind a large trail of redundant CDs and DVDs. Turning those discs made … Read More ›
In an age of Netflix, Spotify and iTunes, we continue to leave behind a large trail of redundant CDs and DVDs. Turning those discs made … Read More ›
Ignacio Canales Aracil is a Spanish sculptor who makes extraordinary delicate structures from real pressed flowers and plants. The flowers are held together without the … Read More ›
With more of us shopping online, cardboard packaging is fast becoming one of the most ubiquitous materials we discard on a daily basis. Elevated from … Read More ›
Collect is an annual international contemporary art fair held by the Crafts Council, now its 14th year. It brings together 40 galleries from around the … Read More ›
The concept of plastic bottle art initially evoked flashbacks of Blue Peter’s Here’s one I made earlier. It’s hard to believe that something as ubiquitous … Read More ›
When used bicycle parts get a second life as something beautiful, the term ‘upcycling’ couldn’t be more apt. Although an advocate of all things eco, I … Read More ›
As well as being a natural, durable and highly recyclable material, little can compete with the magic that glass can offer visually. The art form … Read More ›
If you think reclaimed wood only has a chance at second life, either as furniture or floorboards, think again. More and more creatives are coming … Read More ›
Ilaria Bianchi is a furniture and product designer from Pisa, Italy. She studied Industrial Design in Turin, and after winning a scholarship moved to Stockholm … Read More ›
Imagine the patience required to create such intricate carvings as this? Recollecting the tedium of sharpening pencils in art classes, only for the lead to inevitably … Read More ›
Last weekend, the chilly capital was aglow with dazzling light installations, projections and sculptures by various artists for 2016’s Lumiere festival by Artichoke. Among the 30 installations … Read More ›
Mike Stilkey creates captivating paintings on discarded books using acrylics, inks, coloured pencil and lacquer. Almost Tim Burton-esque, the distinctive style of the Los Angeles artist features … Read More ›
These incredible animal sculptures by Marc Sparfel have a primitive aesthetic achieved through the reuse and reconfiguration of found furniture. Sparfel grew up in Brittany, north-west … Read More ›
Every year, American modern furniture store Design Within Reach launches the DWR Champagne Chair Contest™. This is a competition to design a miniature chair using … Read More ›
Unwanted junk is the medium of choice for British designer Karen Ryan, who graduated from the RCA in 2001. She first encountered raw materials such as broken … Read More ›
Czech artist Veronika Richterová is an aficionado when it comes to the upcycled plastic bottle. Using heat and various methods of technological processing, she has created … Read More ›
Taking the pencil as symbolic of creativity, art and craft, Amalgamated is a project by Finnish artist Tuomas Markunpoika which examines the pencil as a … Read More ›
After months of anticipation, Upcyclist’s first book ‘Upcyclist: Reclaimed and Remade Furniture Lighting and Interiors‘ is finally hot off the press and released in the UK … Read More ›
Dan Rawlings creates intricate artwork from pieces of scrap metal. His imagery is inspired by the fresh mindset of childhood, the fractal beauty of nature … Read More ›
Jeremy Mayer is a California based artist with no formal art training. Mayer disassembles typewriters and puts them back together to create anatomically correct human figures … Read More ›
Labyrinth of Plastic Waste is an installation by Luzinterruptus which featured in Poland’s Katowice Street Art Festival last month. “We were looking to demonstrate, in a poetic manner, … Read More ›
Lisa Hoke‘s fascinating sculptures and installations are made from discarded paper and card, paper cups and household goods. Combined, the sprawling clusters of waste looks … Read More ›
Alexander Korzer-Robinson is a UK based artist who creates beautiful book sculptures using cut out images from old encyclopaedias and books. His work contains narratives that … Read More ›
Japanese artist Yuken Teruya carves miniature trees from discarded shopping bags. The trees are part of a series called Notice – Forest. Tacked to … Read More ›
A while ago we featured the work of Nottingham artist Donya Coward who makes work of art from Victorian antique embroideries, fabrics and haberdashery and vintage Nottingham … Read More ›
I’ve been meaning to blog about awesome London art collective Robots>>>> ever since I saw their work ‘Everything is Beautiful When You Don’t Look Down’. … Read More ›
Robots made from dolls are not usually my thing. In fact, it’s the kind of upcycling that gives me nightmares. However, there is something strangely … Read More ›
The work of Ron van der Ende is exceptional not only for it’s awesome play of perspective but because all his bas-relief sculptures are made entirely … Read More ›
The intricacy of this work is exceptional. Remarkably, these atmospheric landscapes are sculpted from old books. The series named Biblios is by multi-disciplinary artist Guy … Read More ›
These beautiful creations are by Korean artist Lee Jae-Hyo. A simple idea, brilliantly executed, the giant spheres are crafted using assembled logs and stainless steel … Read More ›
I recently saw this piece ‘Miaudulation de fritance ‘(1962) by Arman in the Centre Pompidou. The French born American artist began working as an abstract … Read More ›
‘Without breakers there are no makers’ is the doctrine of mosiac artist Cleo Mussi. Her fascinating work is born out of a ‘maverick approach to … Read More ›
Still en vacance à Paris (now covered in a blanket of snow) I came across the intriguing work of Richard Stankiewicz in the Centre Pompidou. The … Read More ›
These charming creatures are all made from broken electronics and machine parts, mobile phones and salvaged scraps, cleverly put together by Rhode Island artist Ann … Read More ›
Peter Trevelyan creates fragile sculptures from mechanical pencil lead. These three-dimensional architectural webs are the artist’s investigation into the role of drawing. He says, “A … Read More ›
This weekend I visited the wonderful Anthropologie store in west London. The shop not only sells some beautiful products made from reclaimed materials but boasts … Read More ›
These beautiful driftwood sculptures are by artist Deborah Butterfield who specialises in sculptures of horses made from found materials. She began her career working with … Read More ›
Even if you’re not a massive fan of creepy crawlies, it’s hard not to appreciate the skill behind these sculptural creations by Chicago based jeweller … Read More ›
Sculpture made from scrap has been done many times, but the work of Sayaka Ganz certainly stands out from the crowd. The way in which … Read More ›
From his North London workshop, Azhar Duhovich creates sculptural light structures using wood, metal and reconfigured vintage furniture. Inspired by Art Deco and Bauhaus with … Read More ›
You wouldn’t let the Andrex puppy into this art gallery. Trans-layers I and Trans-layers II are beautiful art installations made from the humble toilet roll … Read More ›
Hedonism(y) Trojaner is a sculpture by Germany-based artist Babis Panagiotidis, a modern day Trojan horse made from recycled computer keys and cables. Just like the … Read More ›
This beautiful family of elephants made of a recycled wood was a sculpture built at De Panne beach in Oostende, Belgium by South African Andries … Read More ›
This amazing sculpture was built by the incredibly talented Gábor Miklós Szőke out of reclaimed timber as part of the Hello Wood art camp in … Read More ›
Another highlight of the Shoreditch Design Triangle was Momosan Shop which is directly linked to Rupert Blanchard‘s studio. This is a small space curated by Momoko … Read More ›
Trash People by artist H A Schult have made their way to virtually every corner of the globe. A representation of our wasteful society, Schult’s … Read More ›
The potential of upcycled leather, one of the most robust materials around, is too often overlooked. Pepe Heykoop is the Dutch designer behind the Skin Collection. … Read More ›
Idiom is a spiralling tower of books housed in Prague’s Municipal Library by Slovakian artist Matej Kren. The tower is made of hundreds of books … Read More ›
Just as everyone starts thinking about taking down their Christmas decorations, the Traffic Light tree would ordinarily have gone on to twinkle all year round. … Read More ›
Ever find yourself wondering what to do with those useless wire coat hangers you get from the dry cleaners? Scottish sculptor David Mach puts them … Read More ›
These bird sculptures by Laurel Roth are made from fake fingernails, hair clips, nail polish, false eyelashes, and jewellery. The artist’s work highlights choices involved … Read More ›
In 2008 The Rocks in Sydney began a tradition of building a Christmas tree out of recycled materials. First it was stacked chairs, in 2009 … Read More ›
Brian Mock from Portland, Oregon makes art crafted from found and recycled materials. His collection includes fish, robots, cars, ‘human-ish’ sculptures and my personal favourite … Read More ›
This weekend I saw the the Power of Making at the V&A – an exhibition of 100 exquisitely crafted objects by both amateurs and leading … Read More ›
Some works of art are simply breathtaking and these driftwood equestrian sculptures certainly belong in that category. The genius behind them is Heather Jansch from … Read More ›
This is ‘Cheetah’ by Andrew Chase from Salt Lake City. This beautiful, mechanised cheetah weighs about 23kg and is constructed out of electrical conduit, auto … Read More ›
It’s a fine feat to turn books into sculpture, but artist Thomas Allen takes this one step further, with fascinating results. He cuts people and … Read More ›