The first few blocks of Plastic Fantastic are well underway and upcycled works are beginning to take shape.

We’re currently working with three different primary school classes across St. Patrick’s Primary School and Whinhill Primary to produce work from repurposed waste materials. Each class had a choice of what they wanted to make resulting in wildly different artworks!

One class at St. Pat’s has decided to work on a bottle top mural with a nature design. The centre of the work is dominated by a large ladybird, flanked by a bumble bee and a butterfly, motifs referencing the Broomy’s Bees and Broomy’s Butterflies Gardens where the artworks with hopefully be installed. The students are working on painting the board so we have a colourful background for any sections that aren’t covered by bottle tops, and are also painting bottle tops in the colours we need most of!

Our second class at St. Patrick’s are working on an ambitious 3D Bee sculpted from chicken wire woven with dyed second hand textiles and plastic bags. The class has been working hard to dye the fabric, cut it into strips and plait it ready to weave. Students have also been working on creating some companion critters for the bee, drawing and cutting out butterflies from plastic bottles, and making small bee sculptures from plastic bottles.

Whinhill Primary decided to make a milk bottle face mural. Each child will be working on 2-3 milk bottles, decorating them with colourful mask-like faces in a variety of techniques. These will then be attached to a painted board creating a vibrant 3D mural with a rhythmic pattern.

Jeannette Sultan from ShabbyShock is also continuing to facilitate the furniture upcycling workshops from the Art Flat. So far on Plastic Fantastic, the group have been working on a stool, a shaggy rocking chair, a painted handbag, a woven lampshade made from old tights, a Dalmatian rocking hourse and a surprise picture makeover! And that’s just in the first few weeks.

If any of this tickles your fancy, be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook Page and feel free to join our Thursday evening furniture upcycling workshops from 6-8pm at 12 Broomhill Court, PA15 4ET.