The Amazing Stuff

Artist Steve Casino has a problem. No matter what he tosses in the trash — whether it be dental floss, a can, or a walnut shell — it always ends up coming back for more.

The funny thing about this situation is that when these bits of garbage return, they’re not alone.

These little guys pop up just about everywhere.

Of course, they’re not always that monstrous.

And they’re certainly very adaptable.

You’ve probably figured out by now that these are, in fact, art projects. They’re all part of a series that Casino creates using clay, paint, and discarded items from his home. Using the form of the discarded item, Casino crafts one-of-a-kind creatures inside of them. The results are pretty adorable.

The items, like this Altoids tin, are carefully cut apart before monsters are added to the mix.

Casino will use just about anything to create his bizarre little friends.

Because he works with objects of all shapes, sizes, and materials, his creatures are unique to their environments.

Each one has a personality of its own.

“Andy Warhol always reminded me of a monster from the Muppets,” Casino explains.

We’re inclined to agree.

And in case you were wondering how it’s done…

…he was kind enough to let the world in on his secret. Pun intended.

(via BoredPanda)

You can see more of Casino’s work on his website, as well as on Facebook and Instagram. He’s best known for the paintings he creates on peanut shells, so you can see his ever-growing collection of those while you’re at it.

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When artist Sue Beatrice of All Natural Arts sees old, discarded watches, she doesn’t see trash — she sees opportunity. Using the tiny gears, springs, and screws that once made these watches tick, she creates tiny, intricate pieces of sculpture, drawing on nature for her inspiration.

By using the old parts, she puts these delicate items in the spotlight.

By doing so, she gives us a new perspective on what we may see as trash.

Many of these sculptures are tiny.

But they can be pretty sizable, too.

Each piece is totally unique, so no two sculptures are alike.

Beatrice explains that her particular brand of artistry comes not only from her love of making art, but also from her love of the environment. “All Natural” might seem like a strange name for these mechanical creatures, but the idea comes from her process of recycling to create eco-friendly art that requires no new materials. Beatrice also incorporates sea glass and natural stones into her pieces.

She creates these diorama-like pieces using the bodies of discarded watches.

She even adds wire to create more dynamic images.

A closer look reveals every amazing detail.

She can even create portraits!

(via My Modern Met)

You can see much more of Beatrice’s work on Facebook. Each of her pieces is one-of-a-kind, and some can even be worn as jewelry. Beatrice hopes that by revealing the beauty of old, unwanted items, she’ll inspire people to turn those items into something new.

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Artist Su Blackwell illustrates books. That might not sound very unusual, but Blackwell’s illustrations turn books into detailed, haunting scenes — quite literally. That’s because the art she creates is made using the books themselves, the pages cut, folded, and pasted into intricate, three-dimensional scenes that capture not only the narrative, but the feeling of the books.

To Kill A Mockingbird, 2015

To Kill A mockingbird (detail), 2015

Using strategically placed lighting, the scenes glow with inner light that’s at once warm and lonely. Blackwell is drawn to solitary places, like the forests, coastlines, and isolated houses that make up so many folklore and fairy tale stories. She uses minimal color to emphasize certain items, but for the most part, the images keep the black and white print pattern, with shape and texture identifying them. Wires hold up some pieces, making them appear to float in midair.

The Stork Wife, 2014

Treasure Island, 2013

The Little Prince, 2012

Red Riding Hood, 2010

If her work seems a bit unsettling, it’s because Blackwell intends for it to be so, and strives to capture the full range of emotion covered by the stories. “I tend to lean towards young girl characters, placing them in haunting, fragile settings, expressing the vulnerability of childhood, while also conveying a sense of childhood anxiety and wonder,” she explains. “There is a quiet melancholy in the work, depicted in the material used, and choice of subtle color.”

The Last Unicorn, 2012

The Master and Margarita, 2014

The Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage, 2014

The Dark is Rising, 2014

Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 2013

Some of them, like this book on wild flowers, are less emotionally complex and more a celebration of color and form.

As is always the case when artist carve up books, some people might think it’s a waste of readable material. However, most of the books that Blackwell uses are second-hand, out-of-date printings, hardly rare or collector’s items. She also reads each book, sometimes twice, in order to correctly capture it in sculpture. She also uses the destruction of the books as a way of making a point. “I employ this delicate, accessible medium and use irreversible, destructive processes to reflect on the precariousness of the world we inhabit and the fragility of our life, dreams and ambitions,” she says.

Matilda, 2014

The Ice Maiden, 2014

(via My Modern Met)

You can see more of Blackwell’s artwork, including non-literary works, on her website, where you can also purchase prints of her work.

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These days, as you’re well aware, technology is everywhere. But with the constant onslaught of new inventions and upgrades, we’re generating more and more potentially harmful waste. Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a major problem, especially when it comes to devices that contain heavy metals. But even the more harmless components — like the wires and plastic — have to end up somewhere.

Instead of letting these materials end up in a landfill, artist and sculptor Julie Alice Chappell turns them into something new. With her help, motherboards and wires become delicate, nature-inspired figures.

Chappell opted to use discarded materials like these as part of her work “because they comment on the accumulation of cultural debris and become their own subjective universes.”

She enjoys using the geometric forms of computer components when creating organic shapes, as many of the forms and formulas that make up technology are, in fact, found in nature. Her sculptures speak to both the disconnect of human activity from nature, as well as its inextricable tie to it.

While her work is beautiful, it also points to the ever-growing problems of pollution, consumption, and materialism in contemporary society. Chappell explains that upcycling is her “response to mankind’s cruelty, exploitation, and ruination of the natural world for financial greed.”

But her work also shows us the hidden beauty you can find in unexpected places. Many people find insects repulsive and see computers as simply being functional. However, by combining their forms, Chappell shows us that beauty can be found in both places. “With all their tiny components, complex circuitry, and bright metallic colors, I cannot help but compare them to the detailed patterns we see when we look at nature up close,” she says.

(via Twisted Sifter)

Chappell’s work is pretty, and there’s no denying the beauty of nature. She hopes that her work will not only charm people with its delicate details and jewel-like colors, but will also serve as a reminder “that the natural world and environment are precious and in danger.”

You can see more of Chappell’s work on her Facebook and Etsy pages.