Thursday 27 March 2014

Collage And Worms

Tuesday was one meeting after another. Friends of the Library was up first. War room, I mean planning, for our Earth Day event. We are having a Bookcycle party. Demonstrating how to turn old books into art. A hugely talented artist is donating her time to lead a drop in collage party. We will have art made from old books on the walls, handouts on resources, and a display of  "how to" books from the library. When I say collage just take a look at this piece by our artist Rita. It was recently featured in an international exhibition in New Zealand.

Rita Rasmussen’s, Sometimes I Dream of Freedom

I can't wait to get my little gluey hands in action.

We do pretty well at recycling paper around here but it is trucked a hundred kilometres south for processing which isn't so great. This reminds me of something I learnt at wormi culture. Carol, the presenter, showed us how she put milk cartons and litre juice boxes into the mix. After four months all that was left was the plastic spout from the juice box and a thin, transparent waxy coating from the milk carton. Much, much less to go on the truck and more to go in the garden.

After the meeting I zipped over to the garden centre to pick up a prize for one lucky reader of the garden club blog. The budget was a staggering 10 bucks. I got a nice pot of spring heather, $12 with tax. The overspend will probably put an end to my shopping privileges.


Back home for a quick supper, then on the long and winding road again, for the regular meeting of garden club. The place was packed because of the upset over the C18 bill. In fact, apart from a petition, there wasn't time for much discussion as the programme was already set. Next post I'll go over some of the good stuff I learned from the guest speakers. One little teaser tip-growing potatoes in pots. So much easier to slide your fingers under the dirt to see if anything is down there. If there is, take a few baby ones and the others will continue growing.




14 comments:

  1. I grow my best potatoes in pots. I find that the Yukon Gold do well and get really big in a small space. They also last better all winter long in storage. It sounds good to recycle old books, but I find some of my best reads from old books in used book stores. So I have mixed feelings. - Margy

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    1. I understand your feelings Margy. Unfortunately we get donated many books in such poor condition we cannot sell them. It seems much better to repurpose them than throw them away.

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  2. Oh I can't wait to hear what you learned about the C18 Bill....and I would love to hear more about the potatoes! And I would so be in for taking that class about collage! That was one of my favorite things to make in art school! A wonderful day to you friend! Nicole xoxo

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  3. I'm not sure I could bring myself to cut books up either but the results look interesting.
    Last year for the first time I grew potatoes in containers and was really pleased with the results.

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    1. Most of our ground is wet so container potatoes seems like a good idea for us. I wouldn't cut up any books that weren't destined for the landfill.

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  4. I'm wondering what the C18 bill is. I assume it has something to do with gardening. I hope it's good. Sorry the weather is inhospitable. We're getting rain today too so I feel for you.

    I love old books too and have a hard time with cutting in to them but you're so right. Better to repurpose them into something lasting and beautiful than to burn them. Nice work.

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    1. I wish C18 was a good thing but unfortunately not. It will block ordinary people like you and me from saving and sharing seeds. The big 5 like Kraft and Monsanto will have an extraodinary power over seed usage.

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  5. That is a fantastic piece of art. I need to get a closer look...

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    1. Rita has been exhibited all over the world. It drives me crazy she hasn't a web presence. I can see myself doing a page for her.

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  6. I really like the artwork, I have Pileated Woodpeckers in my yard and they are very special, except when they are pecking up all the apples. I don't know how she did the arms in context of a collage.

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    1. Rita has woodpeckers in several of her works. I haven't seen this particular work other than in an image. I'll find out how she did the shirt.

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  7. You are busy. I can't wait to grow potatoes again grow bags. I dug up a few small ones last year too.

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  8. I love art but I'm not sure how successful I'd be at creating a collage. But I am very good at overspending at the garden center.

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