Category Archives: Recycled Art

Cairns Show – Wearable Art First Prize

First Prize at the Regional Show!09-box-strap-bustier-first-p

 

Wearable Art is a new category at the Show this year. I jumped at the chance to make something that has been on my mind for a very long time. Just before going on stage I found out that first prize was a trip to Brisbane to compete at the EKKA. More details coming soon. I’m looking forward to working on more pieces in the future and have already been commissioned to do a Tropical Mother Christmas!

Thanks to Kristy Cumming (Sales Director for Mary Kay Cairns) for doing make-up and faulse eyelashes and Thanks to Erica and Ryley (College Cuts) for amazing hair work.

Describe your outfit:

Box-Strap Bustier.

I am fascinated with beautiful things and three dimensional construction techniques.

I have experimented and sculpted with diverse materials and always choose reclaimed objects. My sculptures are 100% recycled.

Box straps are flexible and strong and can be easily woven into a variety of shapes without loosing form. They are a forgiving materials that is a pleasure to work with, the white colour looks like crystal.

Transforming materials with an industrial background into wearable beautiful objects is enormously satisfying. I aim to increase awareness of reusable materials that are regularly thrown away.

Type of Outfit:
‘Risky’ Corsetry for fancy occasions

Materials:
box straps
striped down electricity cables
(100% reclaimed/recycled materials: no glue/stables have been used).

Below are the criteria that the outfit was judged on. I don’t know my score, but I think I need to work on the overall finishing.

WEARABLE ART
Overall finishing to garment. 10
Has the outfit been sewn by entrant? If Yes 10
Suitability of fabric/materials used for the class entered. 10
Artistic Design. 20
Visual Impact of the garment for the desired artistic effect. 50
TOTAL POINTS 100

Wearable Art – First Prize a the Cairns Regional Show

First Prize at the Regional Show!

Wearable Art is a new category at the Show this year.  I jumped at the chance to make something that has been on my mind for a very long time.  Just before going on stage I found out that first prize was a trip to Brisbane to compete at the EKKA.  More details coming soon. I’m looking forward to working on more  pieces in the future and have already been commissioned to do a Tropical Mother Christmas!

Thanks to Kristy Cumming (Sales Director for Mary Kay Cairns) for doing make-up and faulse eyelashes and Thanks to Erica and Ryley (College Cuts) for amazing hair work.

Describe your outfit:

Box-Strap Bustier.

I am fascinated with beautiful things and three dimensional construction techniques.

I have experimented and sculpted with diverse materials and always choose reclaimed objects.  My sculptures are 100% recycled.

Box straps are flexible and strong and can be easily woven into a variety of shapes without loosing form.  They are a forgiving materials that is a pleasure to work with, the white colour looks like crystal.

Transforming materials with an industrial background into wearable beautiful objects is enormously satisfying.  I aim to increase awareness of reusable materials that are regularly thrown away.

Type of Outfit:
‘Risky’ Corsetry for fancy occasions

Materials:
box straps
striped down electricity cables
(100% reclaimed/recycled materials: no glue/stables have been used).

Below are the criteria that the outfit was judged on.  I don’t know my score, but I think I need to work on the overall finishing.

WEARABLE ART
Overall finishing to garment. 10
Has the outfit been sewn by entrant? If Yes 10
Suitability of fabric/materials used for the class entered. 10
Artistic Design. 20
Visual Impact of the garment for the desired artistic effect. 50
TOTAL POINTS 100

Cairns Sustainable Living Expo 2012

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Cairns Sustainable Living Expo doubles in size

Coordinated by Cairns Regional Council and Tropical North Queensland Tafe, the annual Sustainable Living Expo aims to bring people together to celebrate, learn and have fun.

The 2012 Sustainable Living Expo saw over 2000 people visit the 45 exhibitors who displayed their products and services ranging from renewable energy, permaculture, local tropical foods, upcycled wares and community groups representing conservation, climate change and sustainable living.

The day was a community celebration of sustainability – there were colourful recycled fashion installations by Tafe fashion students and delightful roving performers; local musicians the Montgomery Brothers and Reggae Bliss entertained the crowd. Most popular were the children’s “Junk into Funk” tent and demonstrations every half hour on; how to make your own hot water service, how to make a haybale garden, designing a sustainable home, solar thermal power and more.

Entries from the schools “What makes the world a better place” photography competition were on display and the winners were announced. Some of the entrant’s pictures will be displayed here soon.

Council and Tafe would like to thank everyone involved in the 2012 Expo who helped make the day a wonderful success.

(from Council Press Release)

Cairns Sustainable Living Expo

Ode to a Rainbow series May 2012

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After the first ‘reverse engenring’ workshop holiday workshop there was a pile of disassembled electronic parts – mirrors, cogs, boards and multi-coloured cable.

Beautiful objects!uke-angles

I knotted and twisted and plated the pieces into place treating the board like a tapestry. The back is as important as the front.

Kylie Bock, the Centre Director at Hambledon House Community Centre commissioned more panels to decorated the foyer of the new visitors centre, leading to a total of 4 pictures. The ukele was covered for the Cairns Uke Festival. A couple of days before the final auction there $40 on it!

Harmony Day 2012

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Harmony Day was a wonderful day, set into the landscaped grounds of Tjapuki. The location was perfect and the crowd was enthusiastic. There were many stalls, information, food, art, craft and children’s activities.
Feedback was overwhelmingly positive and the organising committee hope to make Harmony Day a signature event for Cairns in the future that can offer opportunities for deeper collaboration between established and emerging Migrant, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the host community in Cairns.

We made some noise for Harmony with percussion guitars: cardboard boxes and rubber bands.

Chinese New Year 2012 DRAGON

Chinese New Year January 2012 DRAGON

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cny-festival-056nllIt was a fabulous day at Fogarty Park. The ground was a little wet, but the rain held off. As you can see from the photos, it was a very busy day – there were about 80 fish and 50 dragons made, as well as a couple of robots and rockets.

We made dragons and fish out of milk bottles. The little kids coloured in gold fish I had already cut out – the addition of one split pin changes the flat fish shape into three dimensions!

The stick dragon puppets is a traditional design I modernised with recycled materials. Milk bottles are a lovely opaque white plastic that is soft enough for an 8 year old to cut (although parents often finish the project).

dragon-mia

CADCAI (Cairns & District Chinese Association Inc) does a fabulous job of planning the Chinese New Year celebrations, and it is getting better every year.

Christmas 2011 on the Esplanade

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This was a fabulous week of morning spent on the Esplanade in front of Muddy’s Café. The Esplanade is a perfect in the mornings, with the sun heating up, and a slight breeze. Setting up on a picnic table was fun and all the cracks were filled with glitter over the course of the 10 sessions.

Milk bottles are my new favourite medium… they are so perfect to cut! Kids can push a pair of scissors trough them without hurting themselves. They have a fine white colour that is a white opaque colour. It is easy to bend them into a variety of three dimensional shapes. Oil pastels are perfect for drawing onto milk bottle plastic. All the colours go on strong and clear.

I had help from Mary, the amazing volunteer. She delights in engaging people in conversations and loves to hear about where they come from.

Noisemakers for Cairns Festival Parade 2011

Festival Parade 2011 Noise Makers!!!

Let’s make some NOISE!

Free workshop, for kids and parents.

Dates: 6&7 August 2011 Saturday and Sunday 2 – 6pm (the 2 weekends before Festival)

Workshop Location: Marquee at the front of Muddy’s Café.

Workshop participants made percussion guitars from ukule boxes and rubber bands.