Links for your green fingers

Mount Iwakiyama was hard to say but the American badger knew he'd adjust. Collage on postcard, Gracia Haby, 2007.

A little over a month ago now, as I read the weekend papers several days after said weekend (are you perhaps sensing a pattern here?), I came across a reference to Sew Green in an article by Andrew Stephens and John Bailey, Back to the future (M, The Sunday Age, April 22, 2007). An article all about becoming a little more green. A three page spread on making your life a little simpler, and in short, a little more like your Nanna. All hail a return to the days when a "commitment to thrift, conserving resources and canny housekeeping" was the norm. Small ways in which you can make a difference today, from buying products with less packaging, making your own all purpose cleaning products, relying upon the virtues of vinegar and bi-carb soda in place of a chemical nasties, a different chemical concoction for each room and surface in the house. Vegetable patches, string bags, walking, and generally using less, yes, that's something we all can do. And should your green thumb have deserted you, leaving you with turnips and radishes fit only for a mouse, why there are always plenty of other green alternatives to living a cleaner, greener, simpler life.


He travelled for some time without incident. Collage on postcard, Gracia Haby, 2007.

So, here are some of the green links found in that article for you all to discover at your leisure -

Fresh Green Clean
Safer, healthier and cleaner indoor living spaces
"Learn how to clean effectively and efficiently with methods that don't cause harm to people or the planet".

Plump Organic Grocery (in Yarraville, Victoria)
"We stock quality organic and bio-dynamic produce including fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products, wine, beer, bulk grains & cereals, soy products, meat, bread, eggs, juices, and much more."

Green Living Australia
All about living a "Green" life, starting in our homes.

Estring bags
Don't cost the earth.
(I've just ordered three long handled string bags in Ocean Blue, Pink Cherry Blossom and Fresh Green, and can't wait for them to arrive via snail mail.)

Sustainability Victoria
Find tips for the home and brush up on your facts while you're at it (Wind energy - myths and facts).

And what of Sew Green? Why, we're mentioned here: "Younger people tired of throwing away their money on poorly made mass-produced clothing and fabric products are discovering the rewards of handicrafts and clicking on to sites such as sew green.blogspot.com and Bee Green to learn how to make soft toys, darn socks and whip up a new blouse to wear to work".


We thought we knew a great deal, but really we knew nothing. Collage on postcard, Gracia Haby, 2007.

Now I'm off to get my hands on a copy of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by chemist and process engineer Michael Braungart and architect William McDonough, to read about the big things that can be done, to discover how buildings can be built like trees, like nature...

"Imagine a world where human industry operates exactly like a blossoming cherry tree: Every factory, every building and every product is as giving as a cherry tree with its flowers.

Imagine a world where our buildings are like trees: They cover their energy needs by harvesting solar power, produce food and oxygen, create habitat for other species and change with the seasons.

Imagine a world without pollution and waste: Products are made from materials that are beneficial for humans and their surroundings."

Believing that it is not simply enough for our actions to be 'less bad', to be 'less harmful', to the environment, Braungart and McDonough advocate, and practice, that there should be no waste whatsoever... that all waste should equal food. That all waste should give back to the biosphere. Just like trees (There's room for a book review on that one, and indeed many books currently on the market. Any takers? Care to pen a little book review on a green text you are currently perusing, Shari, Louise, anyone?). Oh, dear. Must dash, I fear I've bitten off more than I can chew with this one! I'll leave you to dig around further here and here.


Coins in every fountain. Collage on postcard, Gracia Haby, 2007.

In lieu of any green photos, I have littered this post with several of my recent collages... collages of animals seeking new homes in a changing environment. I hope you like them.


They are discussing environmental policies. Collage on postcard, Gracia Haby, 2007.

the art of finding

And she shows you where to look
Among the garbage and the flowers...

If I were to name one artist that had the greatest influence on me, it would be Joseph Cornell. It was not only the solitude in which he worked that fascinated me, or the incredible influence he’s had on more famous artists like Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, etc., but specifically his love of the found object. His accumulated a basement full of found objects, odds & ends, and papers that he procured by rummaging through bookstores and nickel & dime stores for countless hours.

I wonder what a person like Joseph Cornell would have thought of a place like Paper Source or Michaels. Would he have cringed or been enthralled with the vast arrays of papers and stamping and cutting devices? We live in an age when people often do not have (or find) the time, resources, or patience to search for and accumulate objects, papers, etc. that inspire them.

What I find so wonderful about Cornell’s work, as well as many collage artists such as Camilla Engman and Gracia Haby, is their use of everyday papers and found objects. Not only is it unique in its origin but it also documents a time or place. The act of some documentation in artwork has been a long time fascination of mine and drawn me to artists who collect and document like Candy Jernigan.

Collage can be a wonderful medium to begin an exploration into the art and craft world. It can also be a way to think of art from a green perspective by using recycled materials that have not been made specifically for scrapbooking or collage. People often ask me where I find papers to collage with, so I thought I might suggest some tips on where to find interesting vintage, recycled papers and objects to inspire you.



Library: Generally I believe it is sacrilegious to cut up a book but sometimes you can find books that are falling apart to cut up or scan old books for digital collages. I often find old books at local library sales. After perusing the $1 + books for real reads, I head straight for the cheapest books for collage. Books like Readable Relativity probably are not going to be read again, are usually out of date, and often have beautiful handwritten notes inside of them.



Thrift and Antique stores/Flea Markets: It is amazing what you can find at thrift stores... old books, clippings & such, postcards, playing cards, stamps, National Geographics, etc. Keep your eyes open and I guarentee you will find little odds and ends that will be wonderful to work with. I also often find fancy Fiskars punching tools, scissors, etc. while I am at it!



Garage/Estate sales: These are often mecca for the collage artist. Combing through an estate or garage sale can give you a little glimpse of a piece of history because it is all from one person or family. It always makes me a bit sad to see their objects sold away but in a way there is somethign karmic about using something so personal for art.

Ebay: I use this for specifics. For example, I am really inspired by old science textbooks. There might be something from your childhood or experiences that you’d like to use for collage. These types of objects tend not to be expensive on ebay but beware of shipping costs!



Your everyday: This is where people usually don’t look for objects or papers to work with, yet your everyday is perhaps the most interesting place to look. I never pass a pile of papers in the trash or boxes of stuff by the dumpster without a quick check. Any time our department is throwing out old junk, they know to check with me first. Keep an eye out… that laundry ticket could be the beginning of something beautiful.