Trashion Team Spotlight Interview- Lost and Found Objects2!

Shop name: LostAndFoundObjects2

Shop address:www.LostAndFoundObjects2.etsy.com

In a nutshell:
Assemblage Jewelry, Collage and Sculpture (Lil’ monsters and figurative sculpture)





Tell us a bit about yourself :
I work at a neighborhood creativity center called Patchwork Central in Evansville, IN. I work with kids and adults making art and teaching life skills. The website is at www.patchwork.org if you are interested in knowing more. I have been working there for nearly 15 years and 10% of my profits from my etsy shop goes to free kid's arts programs there. I have an MFA in Fibers and I work with a women's craft cooperative in Honduras making paper and jewelry. I have 2 dogs Gracey and Mercy.

In Lost & Found Objects 2 - I enjoy combining discarded bits from daily life and creating new, funky, sometimes funny assemblages. I get a charge out of using things overlooked and under appreciated by others. I have been working with recycled materials for over 20 years, at first because I had no money and then later (even though i still have no money) because that is all that interests me. I think it is an extra challenge; working with what is available and I congratulate myself on finding uses for things normally thrown away.



Trashion materials:
I get really excited about finding a resource that is abundant! and figuring out a good way to reuse it. I have been collecting bits of this and that, old junk drawer kind of stuff, broken things, shiny things, stuff I find on the street while walking. There is nothing like the patina of a partially rusted, partially shiny smashed bottle cap or piece of metal - run over by cars with the pavement texture ground into it. Yeah!! <:0) The metal from soda pop cans are my current passion. All my items are well washed and sealed if need be:) I have been collecting costume jewelry, pieces of things, vintage fabrics and lately knitted scarves and sweaters - lots of stuff with which to keep my hands busy.


I transform them into:
Assemblage jewelry, handmade paper collages, figurative sculpture and I also sew lil’ monsters from found stuff and make collage from my own handmade paper and found objects. More items can also be seen on my flickr site - www.flickr.com/gp/21255859@N08/U4EUB9

How do you do it?
I am a bit compulsive about always having something to keep my hands busy. So I carry projects with me to meetings, conferences, trainings and church. I work will I visit, watch old movies and spend time with my family.




What inspired you to do this and why are you involved in trashion?
I work with art in a neighborhood based creativity center called Patchwork Central in my inner city neighborhood in Evansville, IN. I am always intrigued by the stuff I see as I walk in the neighborhood, usually through alleys - as I love the mix of junk, gardens unfinished backside of houses. I always find something when I am walking, usually it is perspective art materials but sometimes, like last week - I found a 10 dollar bill! I get to work on recycled projects with the kids in the neighborhood all the time. Not only does it fit in with our limited budget, but it teaches us to look at things creatively, finding new uses and it teaches stewardship of resources.



What are some of the first things you made using the trashion concept?
I have been making jewelry from found objects and beads for over 20 years. I was a paper maker in grad school and worked in a laundry mat to have access to the dryer lint. When I was a little girl I remember trying to make a round rug from tall weeds I found growing near the alley behind my house. It wasn’t very successful, but I wanted it to be like the rag rugs my great grandmother had made from old clothes. I come from a generation of quilters on all sides of my family. Making do was not just what they did - it was part of the challenge.


What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
I am currently creating jewelry from soda pop cans. That is fun. I can’t walk past a can in the street without taking it home, washing it out and cutting up the metal.

I have also been working on a series of recycled jewelry from bicycle parts. The rubber inner tubes, plastic reflectors and silver cutlery have been my inspiration. These neck pieces are for an upcoming show at Artifacts Gallery in Indianapolis, IN called 'Reclaim Reuse Reimagine'. The show opens May 9th so I am working hard to finish these new pieces.

In the 2D arena, I am planning to create a series of a dozen large 2’ x 3’ handmade paper/mixed media images communicating the idea of place and landscape, based upon friendships with individuals in my inner city kids' arts programs and a group of women who I work with in a paper making/craft cooperative in Honduras.



Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion?
Why wouldn’t we want to have wonderful, high quality and highly imaginative stuff created from things that would have added to the landfill. It’s about stewardship. Its about creativity.


More you'd like to share:
I am sure I have said too much already : ), but I love etsy and the opportunities it affords to people who are striving to live more creative lives!

Thank you for sharing the inspirations behind your great work, Jane!