A few months ago we went to a local artist event, and as we were walking around and visiting with some of the creative men and women there, we realized how many of them were sustainable artists. They were using a host of vintage and used items in new and inventive ways!
One great example of reusing items is Pavlina Panova. She is an Oshibana artist, who uses pressed flowers, leaves and other botanical materials to create a painting. That art form was started in Japan in the 16th century, and if you have never seen someone “paint” and create with dried plant material, we highly recommend you look for an Oshibana artist in your area. There is a large exhibit of Oshibana art each year at the Philadelphia Flower Show and Pavlina has won first place ribbons there. She reuses all different types of botanical materials, such as avocado and banana skins, coffee grounds, orchid petals and so much more. All her work is stunning!
No need to throw away the flowers in your vase, when they have passed their peak of perfection. You can let your imagination run wild and create a unique botanical form of art.
Nicole Harris is another Dallas area artist who creates detailed hand-cut collages made of vintage maps, books, and wallpaper. No two are alike, and it's fascinating to see what she can create out of mundane items such as wallpaper and maps from the 1950s and 60s. Imagination is the limit!
One of our favorite purchases at the artist show was a pair of colorful, leaf-shaped earrings. We're sad to say that we can't find the artist’s name and if anyone knows who she is, we hope you'll share her information with us. She uses paper from her travels, magazines, and pieces of cardboard packages from common household items to create beautiful jewelry that brings great joy and fun to our wardrobes.
Whether the artist is working with natural items from the environment such as Pavlina or man-made items that are getting a second chance and not going to the landfill such as Nicole and the lady who made our earrings, we applaud the efforts of artists who are choosing to reuse items with creativity and imagination. We don’t know if these three women and others like them developed their art taking the environment into consideration, but we can't wait to see what all they'll continue to create with their earth-friendly craft.