What’s altered art anyway?
Altered art seems easy and hard to define at the same time. Altered art is any art that is created using reused or discarded items that are now transformed into something new. This can include decopage, collage, keys, old game pieces, dice, coins, buttons, string, beads, baubles, fabric, doo-hickies, this ‘n thats, pretty much anything you may find in your “junk” drawer. Sadly, I no longer have one of these due to obsessive organizing when we were moving. However, I now have a new “junk” drawer down in my art studio where I put anything that I don’t know where it goes when I’m cleaning. Although I don’t call it a junk drawer anymore, I call it my “treasure” drawer. What other people discard is now my “treasure” to provide inspiration and complete my works of art.
I search a lot at the local thrift store for interesting and unique or just ordinary junk stuff I can use in my altered works. I have also manage to find a lot of stuff in the woods and the sidewalk while walking the dog, like strange but interesting bits of metal and bottle tops, among other things.
I live near Durham, North Carolina and there is a place called The Scrap Exchange. They are like a treasure trove for artists and crafters. They carry all kinds of “stuff” from fabric scraps, to old typewriters and door knobs, wood scraps, plastics and containers, WAY too much stuff to name. They have a website at www.scrapexchange.org, it is way cool!
I hope to develop a section soon with more information on finding more of these supplies.
