Exploring: Fun

The last two posts have been about the wonderful “IDEA Store” in Champaign, Illinois. Today I will share the original reason for my trip there – a workshop! Presented by artist Michelle Stitzlein, aimed at those who create art with children, we re-purposed plastic lids into creative works of art.

plastic lid assortment

Each person was given a 24×24″ piece of plywood to work on, which we first painted with a layer of paint as we pleased. Since we’d be working with round shapes there would be areas of the background that would probably peek through so this made a much better background than just plain wood. Once the paint dried then we began to arrange the lids into whatever pattern we desired. Look at the assortment of lids we had to choose from:

I think I started and stopped arranging at least three times before mine finally began to take shape like I wanted it to!

After it was  arranged then the hard work started: DRILLING. It was about this time I realized that larger caps equaled less drilling, but it was a bit too late. Good information for future projects though! 🙂 Needless to say, I did NOT get everything drilled to the board before time ran out.

Progress made before class finished

I’m pretty sure my design changed between removing it for transport and re-assembling it when I got back to the studio.

“Fun” 24×24″ mixed media art on wood © 2013, Lynne Medsker

But that’s okay, I like the way it turned out! I think this would be a really fun piece to hang in a kids room or at a daycare, peditricians office, etc. Bright, cheerful and eco-friendly! Here’s a detail shot:

detail from “Fun” © Lynne Medsker

It really gave me lots of ideas for future projects and other materials that could be used to create with. Fun, indeed!

Lynne

New Treasures

In my last post I told you I would share images of some of the fun treasures I acquired at The IDEA Store in Champaign, Illinois. Today’s the day!

Magazines sold by the pound

Upolstery sample book – 75 cents!

Maps, pages, lettering by the pound

In additional to fun things to use for art projects they also had functional items like these:

CD covers, stencils, small storage bottles

Then there were just so many odds & ends, old & new, to sort through!

old stamps, old watch piece, old compasses

electronic parts, assorted metal pieces

old wood (perhaps from disassembled desks?), old clothes pins, rust metal pieces

Slides, various dominoes, beads from jewelry, tacks, metal buttons, alphabet tags, glass tiles

I’m sure five artists could visit there and come away with five entirely different bags full of things.

So, who wants to go there for a field trip?

Lynne

Exploring: The Idea Store

Earlier this month I took a trip over to Champaign, Illinois to visit “The Idea Store” and attend a workshop.

Oh. My. Goodness. It was a repurposing/upcycling/treasure paradise! I’m already plotting on another trip to forage for goodies. Rows and rows full of tubs, barrels, baskets and shelves holding an array of goodies the likes of which I’ve never seen. I’m sure I stood there with my mouth gapping open!

Items were priced either by the piece or by the pound, depending on what they were.  I really couldn’t gauge how it all would work out but I ended up spending a lot less than I anticipated. That’s always a nice surprise! After almost three hours of foraging I left with two bags full of fun stuff.

bags full o’ goodies

I’m saving images of my treasures for the next post. I’ll also share a post soon of the fun upcycled project that we worked on at the workshop!

Stay tuned,

Lynne