From trash to treasure

Object: Baby's High chair

2008-01-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

I found this object a little while back while out walking my dog and since I can't recall ever seeing something like this thrown out I figured it would be perfect. With this piece, since it is a chair designed to hold one of the things that we hold most dear(especially parents) , I chose to give it a regal look as if it were a throne.

Updates

2007-10-29T18:46:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since I've put any new objects up, but there are a few in the works. I got a suggestion from a friend that I liked, which was to make less objects but make them more elaborate. So basically thats what's taking me so long to put up more objects. Some objects in the works include a briefcase and a baby's high chair, so stay posted they will be up soon.

Object Update

2007-09-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

So I took my dog for a walk yesterday past the spot where I took pics of the hamper earlier in the day, hours before trash pick up, and it wasn't there anymore. It's always a good feeling to see that a social experiment is working, especially so early.

Object 6: VCR

2007-09-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

This was actually found in the same spot as the suitcase, and was originally on top of an old nightstand that was also being thrown out. This one is slighty more successful than the suitcase, but still had the same dilema with lack of good stones to use. I' m awaiting more gems in the mail so the next few pieces will be more up to par.

Object 5: Suitcase

2007-09-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is the first object that I don't think is a real success. Mainly because I was running out of good gems and diamond colored rhinestones so I couldn't make it as elaborate as I would of liked. Nevertheless it still turned out looking better than it did in the beginning so it still makes the cut.

Object 4: Clothes Hamper?

2007-09-18T15:10:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure exactly what this item is, but I'm guessing it's a dirty clothes hamper. In any case, I know that its purpose is to hold and carry other objects. Why it's owner threw it out I'm not sure, after cutting some frayed edges, painting it, and jeweling it it looked better and was still in good enough shape to complete its intended task. I guess most of the time, when people know they can just get something new, they don't think twice before throwing away something old, even if it can still be used.

Object 3: Guernsey Chair

2007-09-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

This object I found one night while walking my dog. I was a little apprehensive to take it at first, because it was off to the side of the stoop but still next to the trash cans instead of at the curb. Then I thought, "who would throw out a chair you could still sit in?" , but then I realized that it was probably the ugliest chair I had ever seen and figured even if it belonged to someone and they still wanted it, it would be right back where they left it in a day or two after I fixed it up. I really think this piece is a success, mostly because when I was done I kind of wanted to keep it which is how I rate these pieces and decide whether they are successful or not.

Object 2: Shoes on Lorimer st.

2007-09-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

The second object(s) I found were an old pair of shoes in a plastic bag by a trashcan. I found these particulary interesting since they're my favorite kind of shoes. Even though they're a bit worn and probably don't even fit their previous owner, they still have enough capability to function for the purpose of shoes, which is why even though they don't particularly look like anyone would buy them in their state, they still fit the criteria of the project.

Object 1: Printer by the Post Office

2007-09-04T19:54:00.000-07:00

This was my first of this series, and I think it turned out rather well. It definitely helped motivate me to do more since I went out on my first trip to take pics and forgot to open the flap which had gems in it but didn't realize until I got home to check out how the pics came out. After realizing I went back out to open it and take new pics, only to discover that some passerby was intrigued enough to open it for me, hence making me feel that this and other object will serve their purpose just nicely.

The Trash to Treasure Project

2007-09-04T19:48:00.000-07:00

We’ve all heard the term “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, and more often than not, I find this to be true. Particularly in New York City, while walking through different neighborhoods, I see objects that appear to be in descent condition and still useful for something, even if not still for its original purpose, just thrown out on the curb. Maybe it could just be my mindset as an artist, but when I see these objects on the sidewalk waiting to be taken to the dump, I can’t help but to see the potential they still posses and wonder why its owner would throw it out. My goal with this project is to take the popular saying and turn it into a physical reality by taking what others might see as garbage with no more usage left in it and turning it into something beautiful that may not have a currency value, but still has aesthetic value. By doing this and then returning it to the spot where I found the object, my hope is that the original owner as well as other passers by will begin to realize that just because something may have lost its original purpose, doesn’t mean that it has lost all purpose entirely and should immediately be thrown away. If you look deep enough with an open mind, anything holds the capability of being or becoming something beautiful.