Art And Trash

The difference between art and trash is sometimes recognition, controversy and an award. Both J and I love to work on little art and craft projects and our materials are not bought at a store. We are more browsers less buyers at craft stores. As a child, my mother encouraged me to consider the possibilities hidden in something that was discarded or was soon going to be. In her mind, that would foster an artistic and aesthetic sensibility in me - something she held in the highest esteem. According to her, you are able to live your life more gracefully when you have the ability to see beauty in where none is immediately evident.

At first it was hard to do what she was asking me to - I would grow frustrated about the limitations of the supplies with which to create something, but over time I did start to see trash in a different light. This is a learning I value a great deal in my life and have passed to to J with good results thus far. There is little that J cannot think of a way to re-purpose. Our projects are more whimsical than useful but that does not diminish the fun of working on them in any way.

Reading this news story about an artist winning an award for creating something with the discards of other artists made me smile. While it probably did not deserve to be the winning entry, an honorable mention would have been a good way to get people to think about seeing the beauty in discarded objects.