Yukako Satone from Loop of the Loom shared work she did in conjunction with the New York Botanical Garden. For the NYBG’s holiday event, Yukako gave participants a quick lesson on SAORI weaving, which they then practiced on a loom using MFTA trim and thread. SAORI is a free-style hand weaving technique from Japan that has no rules or restrictions. Without limitations, the medium allows for total expression; there are no samples to follow, and no mistakes to make. I’ve never tried it myself, but it certainly sounds interesting. A “ZEN art… that is dedicated to free expression and self-development”? Sign me up.

Yolanda Vivas from IS 171 in Brooklyn has been a frequent visitor to MFTA for the past few months, and she is one of our members I am delighted to see each shopping day. She recently shared the work she’s been doing with her students, and it sure is great. The students used fabric, paper, envelopes, ribbon, and card stock to make books, journals, and photo albums. One parent even made her daughter a backpack out of brown bags and recycled folders for her eighth grade graduation. The work shows the very practical side of reuse, and the little details make sure each book is unique and expressive.

Definitely looks intense, and it is sure to be filled with excitement. Tickets include a (vegan!) meal, and are on sale via their calendar.

Richard Diaz from PS/MS 282 in Park Slope had his students make these rabbit puppets using multi-colored gloves, fabric, buttons, and notions. The students did a great job making them diverse and unique. Not to mention adorable. The project exemplifies one way teachers can find everything they need right at the warehouse. For more ideas on ways to reuse items from the warehouse, teachers should also check out our next round of P credit classes, beginning February 11.

This student used a dismembered snowman's head in her commentary on the lack of snow in New York City this winter

Last Friday the recycling team from Queens Vocational and Technical High School visited MFTA to learn about art and reuse.  Before their warehouse tour, we discussed how both visual artists and musicians reuse ideas, sounds, and objects in their work–the students thought of Andy Warhol and a couple of hip-hop pioneers from the Bronx. Back at school the students were thinking of ways to raise awareness about recycling, waste reduction, and reuse, and their trip to MFTA spurred lots of great ideas for getting fellow students excited. At MFTA the recycling team created sculptures which show how items thought of as waste can be reused as art and decided they will incorporate found objects into their awareness-raising campaign back at school. Check out their work after the jump.

A coffee can becomes the face of this totem-like sculpture

Another stuffed animal gets a new life--you can see his cowboy boots peeking through, they were found in the warehouse

A gold pinecone becomes hair for a cordial glass' face

A tennis ball and buttons were transformed in this sculpture

A mop of yarn becomes a messy hairstyle in this student's work

One of the arrows from the Victoria's Secret donations resurfaced in this student's work

This group visit was sponsored by TD Bank, through the TD Charitable Foundation. For more information on group visit programs at MFTA, including special discounts for Title I schools, click here.

At MFTA we encourage you to make sure every day is Earth Day, and what can be a better reminder of this than datebooks made from reused materials? Esther Smith of The Segue Foundation sent over some photos of datebooks she made using leather and paper right from the warehouse, and they came out great. She designs and stitches the books by hand, then typographer Dikko Faust hand sets real wood and metal type and hand-feeds paper into a vintage letterpress. The duo has been making these usable artist books so long that they have done every iteration of the calendar. As Esther told me, this year is a leap year and it repeats every 28 years, so this year’s book can also be used in 2040, while 365-day years repeat every 11, 6, 11 years ad infinitum. The intricate detail and knowledge of the process is remarkable, and the repurposed sea charts as paper is definitely a great touch. Check here for more photos, and for more information (and classes), check here.

Joe from Showpaper sent over a bunch of photos of a project he did with Brooklyn-based duo Javelin. The project is called Canyon Candy, which is part EP, part short film, part music video, and part “visually stunning and immersive cabin/cave/canyon environment.” There are many components here. The last of which used paper, fabric, books, and other items from the warehouse, and is currently on view until March 1 at Clocktower Gallery. Photos of the installation can be seen here, and its construction can be viewed at this album. The music video/short film (music film?) can be seen below the jump. It’s really cool: 

Javelin – ‘Canyon Candy’ from stereogum on Vimeo.

Sandra from Choir Academy of Harlem sent over this photo of a quilt created as a gift for their corporate sponsor, American Airlines. The students researched a city that AA flies to and came up with a distinctive symbol for that place to contribute to the quilt. The idea (as well as the materials) for the work came from a donation at the warehouse of various fabric swatches from Michael Miller Fabrics. The quilt was unveiled last Thursday to AA during a special presentation, and it will remain in the school lobby through this week before being transferred to the AA terminal at JFK. Make sure to look for it next time you are there.