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The Creators

Finding Inspiration in the Garbage

I started picking up trash while on my walk a few weeks ago. I’d meant to do it for over a year, but I could never remember to take a bag.

I go for walks every day. They usually consist of me stopping and talking to a horse or two; one is named Beauty, the other I’m unsure, but she’s a feisty one that tries to eat my coat or my face, whichever happens, to be closer. I also wave hello to every farm animal I see; I’m still waiting for them to wave in return or indicate that they understand that we’re friends now.

On these walks, I see trash, discarded beer cans, fast food wrappers, and the occasional shirt.

Typing the word “wrapper” reminded me of when a student needed A LOT of gum wrappers for a project. Trying to be a supportive teacher, I sent a district-wide email asking people to collect gum RAPPERS!

Walking by each piece of trash, I wondered why someone didn’t pick it up, and then I realized I WAS SOMEONE! That was enough to make me finally remember to take a bag, and now I’m the person who picks up trash every day. In conversation, someone mentioned that my job is picking up trash; I tried to clarify that I do not get paid to pick it up, but it was too late. I am a trash collector.

A few days in, I started to notice themes.

There were always Coors Light cans, crushed in the middle, Milwaukee’s Best Light, they remained intact, and Josh Rose wine bottles. Who are the people connected to these items, and what is their story? I couldn’t find a way to create a happy story about the people, I assume, throwing these items out of their car windows.

Instead, I wondered what the story of the object is. What journey did the Coors Light take before landing, crushed on the side road, now in my hand, and going into my paper-thin plastic grocery bag? If the can was a person, who would it be? What would it say? [I love exploring how materials communicate]

You don’t have to go and start picking up trash to find inspiration; you can find it in many places. Books are another great source of inspiration and catalyst for imagination.

​The Weaving Book is written to inspire you and your kids, or your friend’s kids, to explore and create. It teaches you how to think and see like an artist. The more you learn to think and see like an artist, the more you’ll spot ideas around you. Trash on the side of the road will no longer just be litter; it will be evidence of life and a snippet of someone’s story or a data point. The world is magical when you approach it with the artist’s lens.

Reading books also makes it more likely that you’ll learn how to spell and won’t send an email to everyone you work with that says RAPPERS instead of WRAPPERS, setting off a string of emails of co-workers writing rap songs for you.

​The Weaving Book also teaches you how to weave a process that can be as simple or as complicated as you wish and lends itself to a wide range of materials.

How to Explore Weaving in your Sketchbook

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I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, picture books aren’t only for kids. They’re one of my favorite things. I also love to send them to friends instead of card.

PS: The Weaving Book comes in English and Spanish​

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