ITA Intern Andria Duncan Gives Some Eco-Friendly Pointers
Whether you strive to reduce waste in our ecosystem or are just looking for an affordable way to add some pizazz to old, unwanted objects; upcycling is a skillful way to accomplish both! Upcycling is commonly known as creative reuse. It is the process of transforming old or discarded materials into something useful and/or beautiful.
Upcycling isn’t to be confused with recycling. They both help to conserve the environment but differ in aspects of material usage, and overall process. Recycling reforms a product into a material through processes that break down the original materials. Therefore, there is limited usage of actual raw materials. Upcycling reforms a product into a new product by whatever repurpose techniques seen fit. Having the freedom to use whatever repurpose techniques allows for the unlimited usage of raw materials. The final upcycled product is uniquely designed and one of a kind.
Upcycling inspires creativity and ingenuity within people to reconstruct an object outside of its original purpose. The process of upcycling can be applied to make jewelry, art, furniture, bags, and much more out of everyday items. Plastic pop bottles are perfect for bird feeders or self-watering planters. A big cable spool can be fashioned into a rustic bookcase. With upcycling, the possibilities are endless!
ITA will be partnering with First Presbyterian Church of Evanston for a community upcycling art project lead by ITA’s Art Therapy Intern Andria Duncan during the Souper Saturday Soup Kitchen. Souper Saturday attendees will have the opportunity to create an upcycled art piece that is formed from weaved plastic bags. Our goal for our art project is to provide a safe space for members to interact and express themselves creatively through art.
Art offers a means for gaining insight into social issues, and how people experience them. Some of the Souper Saturday attendees that participate in our community art project may not have a secure place to call “home” which in turn may cause them to feel alienated from our community. Therefore, it is essential that we support our guests in a way that allows for them to portray the world or community from their perspective and also fosters a new sense of community through the creation of art.
[…] Presbyterian Church of Evanston’s Souper Saturday soup kitchen members. Upcycle began with the introduction and overview of the project. Members passed around a sample of a completed weave design made of plastic yarn, or plarn, as a […]