Printing With Litter
In December 2017 my son asked me what a ‘New Years resolution’ is so I explained as best I could that it’s a way of making a promise to yourself to do something good. He asked if he could do litter picking because he was worried about animals getting hurt by litter. It was lovely and heart warming that he was so passionate about something other than Lego! So...off we went...regularly litter picking our way around the local area. As a family we enjoyed it so much and felt good to have a purpose..we even joined ‘Rubbish Friends Stratford-Upon-Avon’ to litter pick with other like minded people.
One rainy day in a supermarket car park my little boy found a plastic Christmas cracker toy (a flattened lobster with a missing leg) and he said that I should print with it like I do with my natural materials...so I did... the rest they say is history!!!
Now I’m documenting my litter art on Instagram and Facebook in the hope that litter picking can be viewed as a positive thing. When I was at school litter picking was a punishment and therefore an unenjoyable and somewhat shameful activity.
Since my son has wanted to do litter picking my whole perspective has changed...not only is it enjoyable it is good exercise, and has made us as a family consider our environmental impact and change the way we shop and eat aswell.
Some of the items that we have found have created unexpectedly unique and interesting patterns when I print with them... for example: a ‘fruit shoot’ bottle top makes a superb star shape. Sometimes it is obvious how a print will look but even the most mundane pieces of plastic can produce diverse results. Printing with litter opens up a while other world of possibilities... not just for my artwork but for improving our planet a little bit by tidying up the mess we have made!
You can see more of my litter work on
Facebook
www.facebook.com/chloebartist_litter
Instagram
www.instagram.com/chloebartist_litter
One rainy day in a supermarket car park my little boy found a plastic Christmas cracker toy (a flattened lobster with a missing leg) and he said that I should print with it like I do with my natural materials...so I did... the rest they say is history!!!
Now I’m documenting my litter art on Instagram and Facebook in the hope that litter picking can be viewed as a positive thing. When I was at school litter picking was a punishment and therefore an unenjoyable and somewhat shameful activity.
Since my son has wanted to do litter picking my whole perspective has changed...not only is it enjoyable it is good exercise, and has made us as a family consider our environmental impact and change the way we shop and eat aswell.
Some of the items that we have found have created unexpectedly unique and interesting patterns when I print with them... for example: a ‘fruit shoot’ bottle top makes a superb star shape. Sometimes it is obvious how a print will look but even the most mundane pieces of plastic can produce diverse results. Printing with litter opens up a while other world of possibilities... not just for my artwork but for improving our planet a little bit by tidying up the mess we have made!
You can see more of my litter work on
www.facebook.com/chloebartist_litter
www.instagram.com/chloebartist_litter