"One man’s trash is another man’s treasure"
I am a recycling/upcycling artist living in Rhayader Mid wales who makes an eclectic range of 3D pictures and decorations from everyday throw-away materials and found objects.
I love the challenge and flexibility of working with materials that have been discarded or no longer have a use. I like to give them a new lease of life -a sort of reincarnation. Read Sunday newspapers are made into pulp to create mackerel, birds and quirky characters, empty pie tins become buckets, vintage vases or classic cars and broken jewellery is used to create everlasting blooms. I love using bright colours and including a bit of humour in my pieces to bring a smile to the viewer
The inspiration for my work is from my observations of objects that have a sense of nostalgia and characters I have encountered in my surroundings in Mid-Wales and beyond.
The pictures are built up in layers, with different textures and painted with acrylics. They have a 3D effect so the viewer feels like they can step into a scene or will want to touch the tactile surfaces.
I believe my recycling/upcycling methods of my work, follow the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”
Rachael Blakeway
