In a time when we are constantly on the lookout for the latest and the greatest, it is easy to dismiss how much waste is produced by updates, reinventions, and new releases. There are some, however, who make it their mission to find usefulness and create renewed beauty from objects that already exist. These artists master the skills needed to take discarded, everyday materials and use them to create something that has never been seen before.
Another Man’s Treasure
Bethel-based, interdisciplinary artist Brian Antonio, has an expansive collection of materials. He uses discarded leather jackets to fashion aprons and belts and creates large-scale steel, wood, and glass sculptures using railroad spikes, driftwood, and discarded stained glass. Brian believes there is beauty in everything, even in what is traditionally considered trash.
Antonio’s network of tradesmen gives him access to materials. Housing remodels and commercial renovations are excellent sources of discarded wood and steel. Once the materials are gathered and categorized, the materials have to be broken down and cleaned. Finally, they are ready to be used. “Including reclaimed materials builds in extra steps to my process because a lot of the stuff I get has glue or paint on it and all of that has to be ground down or dissolved,” he says. “If they were
bought raw, they wouldn’t have to be restored first.”
Not every piece rescued from the trash pile is of the same quality. Water heater tanks are often covered in insulation. Materials left outside are coated in rust. Why choose a material that needs so much work before the art can even begin? “I use art as a coping skill. I process life, loss, and whatever else I’m going through while making art,” says Antonio. “While I’m renewing these materials, I’m also renewing myself. Creating is a positive way of getting those feelings out. There are a lot of hidden, and not so hidden, messages in
my work.”
If These Walls Could Talk
In a manner reminiscent of Intarsia, a style of wood inlaying, Roddy Wildeman’s sculptures utilize mosaic-like features to express the emotion and sentimental value of the homes they came from. Wildeman values the beauty present in distressed and
damaged surfaces.
Wildeman began salvaging remnants from construction sites, historic renovations, and city streets to create elaborate wall sculptures. His works utilize anywhere from one hundred to seven hundred strips of wood. “For generations, people have lived, loved, and died in the presence of these materials,” he says. “There is something about knowing these items have been cherished, that inspires me.”
Using reclaimed materials also serves another purpose. “Another reason I choose to work with these materials is that I feel it’s our social responsibility to repurpose and recycle,” explains Wildeman.”
However, limitations are present in every form of art. Artists who repurpose their materials are constantly faced with a unique set of decisions. What may seem like a challenge, they see as an essential part of the process. “All my work has to completely represent the history of the lcoation,” says Wildeman. “I don’t change the colors of the wood I work with – they have an aged texture and patina that only time can create.”
Collecting Connections
Collecting materials can be a job in itself. When on the hunt for materials, artists often create relationships with collectors. Creating these connections is key for an artist to maintain a full stock of materials. They also learn about an object’s history directly from the source which can be incorporated or purposefully removed from the final product.
The blank page is notorious for its intimidation factor. What about when the canvas already has marks on it? When the materials one is working with already look like an object, it takes another level of imagination to decide how they can become something completely different. Artists
who use reclaimed materials often test their limits to create what is in their minds. They wipe away or reinvent the object’s history, making art that moves their audience and tells a story.
In the Eye of the Beholder
Artists using reclaimed materials not only challenge our perceptions of beauty and value but also inspire a deeper reflection on our relationship with consumption and waste. These artists beckon us to reconsider the potential in the overlooked. In their hands, art knows no bounds, and within every object lies the potential for beauty and meaning.
While every artist has their process, some like Wildeman choose to focus on a single material while others like Antonio include the gamut of found objects, reclaimed art seeks to explore similar themes. “Reclaimed art is so important because there is a lot of reflection going on from finding the material to finishing the final product,” said Antonio.
Follow @roddywildeman on Instagram and visit anythingbutordinaryart.com to learn more about Brian Antonio’s art.
