This mirror is done with reuse with bits of leftover oil paint applied to the surface in earthy colors of greens, oranges and white. After that I decided to use Sgraffito which is a term that simply means scratching into the surface (used on walls, paintings, clay, etc.) to complete this piece; I scratched designs into the surface to create both texture and interest in an otherwise okay, but perhaps a bit plain piece without that extra bit.

Sgraffito Gaiety

$50

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INSPIRATION:

Reuse or recycle, whatever you might call it is a real impetus in my art wherever it can be practically found. Unlike full time reuse artists I use materials as they become apparent, like someone trying to toss something I see a use in.

Sometimes I explain, sometimes people are interested, sometimes they are not. A few times they actually decided to try this something new that I was proposing and that makes me happy because I was raised in a home where waste just doesn't make sense, and even less so as we are filling our world, our water, other countries with our trash.

My idea in using recycled materials wasn't to save the planet as much as it just was a practical thing to do that elicits creativity. I get excited about it and find the constraints imposed by available materials and those adaptations enables creativity to pour forth. The real challenge is to use them and have people not even realize what they are looking at!

But it's not only practical but because it enables me to create things that are really unique and with character. I hope you find this so too!

DESCRIPTION/MATERIALS USED

My reuse contains all forms. I see artist throwing a spent oil paint tube away when it can be cut open and there's more beautiful oil paint within! I've seen that with teachers tossing jars of paint with a little in the bottom that is perfect, if you add some water to use as watercolor.

This mirror is THAT different kind of reuse that I find even other artists don't sometimes make use of - bits of leftover oil paint applied to the surface, it needed something more. A lot of my explorations lead me to such quandaries. How can I solve this problem? Fortunately, oil takes time to dry and I decided to use Sgraffito which is a term that simply means scratching into the surface (used on walls, paintings, clay, etc.), which is what I did here. I scratched designs into the surface to create both texture and interest in an otherwise okay, but perhaps a bit plain piece without that extra bit.

They all have to get that "little extra" when I work, because it doesn't leave me until I like it! This wooden mirror measures 10" x 10" - 25.4 cm x 25.4 cm and is ready to hang and it also hides nicely under a Christmas tree as that specially hand-crafted gift for the one who has everything!

 

 


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