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Adaptive Reuse- Making Discarded Objects into Art
Presented by Marsha Carlin

Adaptive Reuse is an approach to life and art that I learned from my parents, who were both children of The Depression…saving and reusing string, baby food jars to hold nails and screws and making doll houses from discarded wood scraps eventually influenced by own creative process. I purposely use nontraditional and repurposed materials to create art, accessories and useful objects. It is an approach that is especially relevant today and can easily be learned and taught to your grandchildren, husbands or friends.

In this workshop...we will begin the adaptive reuse exploration by taking paper that might otherwise be discarded: old letters, newspapers, magazines, illustrated paper calendars and fold them, using traditional origami techniques, into beautiful boxes..both the tops and bottoms...perfect for small gifts or simply to display.

If time permits I will also share other projects using discarded toilet paper tubes, the paper tubes off of old dry cleaner hangers, and your favorite cocktail napkins….if there is interest we can continue this into a series of workshops involving other wonderful adaptive reuse projects.

Please start collecting and come prepared to work with the following materials:

For BOXES

Colorful magazine pages, old calendar pages

(To make the top and bottom of a box you will need 2 sheets that start off the same size)

Scissors

Elmer’s, school glue and/or glue stick 

Optional to do or just watch: 

After we make our paper boxes I will demonstrate and we can make together paper bead necklaces and bracelets as time permits.

The process is meditative and addictive. Come and enjoy.

Materials for paper bead NECKLACES:

*paper tubes from dry cleaner hangers

*paint and small brushes

OR

*Markers

OR

*Colorful paper cocktail napkins

Elmer’s or school glue

String or plastic fishing line for stringing the beads

For Paper BRACELETS:

*Empty toilet paper tubes

Optional:

*Paints and brushes Or markers 

*And/or colorful paper scraps from magazines, calendars, etc.

*Colorful net bags from onions or mandarin oranges

*Thin plastic bags used at the grocery store for your zucchini, etc.

Examples of the boxes we will make together.

Examples of the paper bead necklaces and bracelets I will demonstrate and you can make also.

 An educator by trade, Marsha Carlin now explores her passion for Adaptive Reuse by taking materials that wind up in a landfill and repurposing them into artistic and creative pieces…..thinkorigami boxes from discarded magazines and calendars; necklace beads from cocktail napkins applied to the paper tubes from dry cleaner hangers, bracelets created from toilet paper tubes, and yogurt container tops, earrings from discarded wire and bottle caps…the artistic possibilities are endless.

 

She has taught photography, biology, math and Chinese cooking from elementary to college levels; and was the Editorial Director, VP of Elementary Math Education at Macmillan Publishing,