The Recycle Upcycle exhibition celebrated the work made across the year-long project of the same name delivered by RIG Arts within the local area of Broomhill and launches our upcoming project ‘Plastic Fantastic’. Both projects have been funded by the Climate Challenge Fund from Keep Scotland Beautiful.
RIG Arts worked with St. Patrick’s Primary School, Whinhill Primary, Notre Dame High School and participant to the Broomhill Art Flat to explore creative ways of reducing waste through recycling and upcycling pre-loved and pre-used items.
Participants worked with upcycling skills across a variety of mediums and mini-projects including textiles, furniture and home decoration. The younger students worked with general household waste including plastic bottles and aluminium cans to create plant pots and bird feeders amongst other items, to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and to create items which reinforce a positive engagement with nature. Other classes worked on textiles bunting which will be featured in Broomy’s Bees community garden being installed by RIG Arts later this year.
The secondary school students produced high quality and unique work focusing on three main skill sets. They worked with textiles to create 2D fine art textiles landscapes, and later developed these skills to create costumes and accessories from donated fabrics inspired by their theme for the year, ‘Fantasy Frontier’. To finish of the sessions, the students had the chance to work on upcycling furniture using a range of techniques, again using textiles to creatively collage and patchwork items to their own taste.
Participants to the Art Flat worked on a variety of group and individual outcomes, gathering a wide skillset as they went. Using the second hand machines bought for this project, the participant were able to develop their machine sewing skills, as well as being exposed to more advanced techniques such as screen printing. The group outcomes reflect a vibrant community with an eye for design and a passion for creating striking fine art and practical pieces from second hand materials. Meanwhile, each participant was able to work on their own item of furniture, learning processes from preparation to finishing stages, resulting in customised and hard-wearing items which can be taken home and used.
As well as showcasing the items made throughout the project, the #RecycleUpcycleExhibition also offered 2 hour long workshops with freelance textile artist Steph Davidson and furniture upcycling artist Jeanette Sultan of ShabbyShock. Visitors we able to try their hand at glass painting and decorating wooden furniture, as well as screen print and take their very own tote bag made from donated fabrics.
Throughout the project, RIG Arts was able to engage with approximately 250 people directly within the schools and the Art Flat and are confident that indirectly we have inspired more people through our vlogs, blog posts and through the children taking the message and their inspiration home to their families.
Collectively, we have saved on approximate of 548.72kgCO2e, a figure which we are confident we can increase and improve on with our next CCF funded project, Plastic Fantastic.
The exhibition is open until Friday 28th March.
The Broomhill Project 