Exhibition Guide
Waste to Art 2019
Waste to Art 2019
We are thrilled to showcase these works highlighting issues of waste, litter and overconsumption, and exploring how we can rethink, repurpose, reuse and repair.
Artworks are the creation of community members, artists, community groups, preschool groups, and school students from across the Lake Macquarie region. We are thankful to the artists for donating their considered and thought-provoking works for the exhibition.
Explore the artworks for yourself, and consider how we can change what we do to create a better world.
Artworks are the creation of community members, artists, community groups, preschool groups, and school students from across the Lake Macquarie region. We are thankful to the artists for donating their considered and thought-provoking works for the exhibition.
Explore the artworks for yourself, and consider how we can change what we do to create a better world.
The 2019 Waste to Art exhibition
- Attracted participation from more than 85 local artists
- Showcased more than 60 high quality, thought-provoking artworks
- Engaged with an estimated 5,800 visitors at three different locations.
- Highlighted waste issues and demonstrated creative ideas to reconsider, reuse and upcycle everyday materials.
From the 2019 Exhibition Guide:
I was sincerely impressed and inspired. It is truly wonderful to see what can be achieved by repurposing no longer wanted items.
Amazing! There is such a high level of creativeness this year and the workmanship is superior. I cannot wait to visit the exhibition. Congratulations to the organisers.
So many talented artists!
Wonders never cease when you can reduce, re-use and recycle.
Will never look at the contents of my yellow bin in the same way again.
Clever use (re-use) of materials. More fun than a visit to a shopping mall!
So many wonderful ideas to take home with me. Inspired to do more with what I have.
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Wendy Bishop
Paper into Tree Sculpture from paper Paper can carry messages. "Paper into Tree" carries both the bold title in raised letters on the front, and the subtle shape of the tree that glows on the sheet of handmade paper when sunlight shines through. Paper is made from trees, and it contains the seed of the circular idea, that waste paper, become compost, can grow the next generation of trees. Paper is an excellent material for recycling, becoming fresh sheets of paper (like the sheet pulled out of a water-bath, in my backyard, reflecting this lovely tree). Or waste paper can be layered, glued by hand, into the shape of human hands. |
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The Bottle Top Art Group - Biddabah Public School
Colours of Australia The Biddabah Bottle Top Art group have used recycled bottle tops collected from the school community to create three different circle artworks depicting the Australian flag, Aboriginal flag and Torres Strait Island flag. We have used the colours of each flag in each art work and depicted the Aboriginal symbol for 'meeting place' because at Biddabah Public School we meet, play, learn and grow. Biddabah means 'quiet resting place' |
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Diana Boyd
Forager. In search of blossom.. no future here.
Upcycled materials used include Building Timber rafters and floorboards, Timber Venetian Blinds, Communication Wire, Copper Wire, Plastic Milk Bottle, Bead Door Curtain, Leather Handbag, Copper strapping
My work represents a cottage garden. The poor honey bee is desperately in search of pollen and nectar to take back to the hive to feed future generations...but there is no future in this patch of blossoms.
Forager. In search of blossom.. no future here.
Upcycled materials used include Building Timber rafters and floorboards, Timber Venetian Blinds, Communication Wire, Copper Wire, Plastic Milk Bottle, Bead Door Curtain, Leather Handbag, Copper strapping
My work represents a cottage garden. The poor honey bee is desperately in search of pollen and nectar to take back to the hive to feed future generations...but there is no future in this patch of blossoms.
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Adventurers, Busy Bees Cameron Park
Recycled tree Tree made from milk cartons, drink bottles, wool, cereal boxes, egg cartons, paint and recycled paper We love celebrating special cultural events at Busy Bees, so why not build a tree in which we can use for a range of different purposes throughout the year. From a Christmas tree in December to tree for Earth Day in March. The children from our Adventurer Room at Busy Bees Cameron Park have produced a Christmas tree in preparation of the up and coming festive season. Our friends are aged 2 years and have been exploring a range of sustainable practices throughout the year. This exhibition was a great opportunity for us to display our creativity and imagination. 
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Jeff Carr
Motorbike Inspired by curbside pickup furniture, including timber chairs, tables and cots. Has helped focus a very active ADHD 50yr old mind. First Inspiration for making this Motorbike came from a timber chair back, all I could see was handle bars. Finished Size 900 high x 1400 long. Coming from a Boilermaker background never working with timber before I have now found a new talent that I didn’t even know I had, learning a lot along the way. I recycle as much as I can down to re-using screws from pieces of furniture I have dismantled. |
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Jeff Carr
Horse Inspired by curbside pickup furniture, including timber chairs, tables and cots. Has helped focus a very active ADHD 50yr old mind First Inspiration for making this Horse came from some very nice table legs, All I could see where legs for a horse and it grew from there. Coming from a Boilermaker background never working with timber before I have now found a new talent that I didn’t even know I had, learning a lot along the way. I recycle as much as I can down to re-using screws from pieces of furniture I have dismantled. |
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Caves Beach - Swansea Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group
Peacock Chair Chair and old fence posts were found on footpath during council clean-up day. 
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Caves Beach - Swansea Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group
Three Bee’s Chair (Black, Bold, Beautiful!) Chair was found on footpath during Council Clean-up. Hand painted by Chris Douglass. 
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Circus Avalon
Safari Digital work showcasing creation of Safari set, made from repurposed waste. Circus Avalon has created the jungle set of their season of ‘Safari’, from repurposed waste. The waste was collected from Circus Avalon members and the broader community, and we hope this will help them view their waste in a different way. The show is about two clowns exploring a jungle full of "animals" and was performed in the big top on the grounds of Waratah High School from 5-13 October. The artistic director of the project is Kaitlin Arvidson, and most of the members of Circus Avalon, including 100 children and 30 adults have participated, either to collect the waste or create the set. |
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Clear Sky Australia
Micro Plastics - Mega Impact All made from locally sourced rubbish found at local water ways. Sadly. Used as an educational tool for the CSA crew during community access and make us aware that even small rubbish is a big problem. Our piece is an accumulation of waste pieces found around and near local water ways in Lake Mac. They are small waste items collected and collaborated by individuals on community engagement walks and projects over a number of weeks, and have been built into a sculptural form representative of one of the environments in which they are collected - an ocean wave. The collection of these items has been used as an educational tool to assist the collecting individuals understand the effects of micro plastics and small waste on the greater environment, including its effect on the food chain, but more pervasively, that these micro plastics are so prolific that they can be found in every single environment visited, even if on the outset a beautiful environment may seem pristine. The representation has been collated to produce a final form, but some of the items used are masked while others left as is, to show the audience these common recognition items and have them asking themselves about the contribution to these wastes - even if unintentionally. |
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Sandra Cooke
CD Tree Christmas tree made from salvaged metal, computer disks and reclaimed fabrics Inspiration - A couple of hundred old computer disks sat there sparkling in the sunlight, tempting me to make something 'blingy'. I love three dimensional art forms and this looked like a perfect opportunity for a Christmas tree. I remembered seeing a huge 3 dimensional fish sculpture with the computer disks used as scales. Techniques - Finding out if the wheel would fit and be stable on top of the fan stand. Cutting wire mesh and joining with wire to form a cone to fit the wheel. Silk skirt cut into strips and wrapped around the wheel. Fabrics double layered, cut into squares with a soldering iron. Wire threaded through the computer disk, fabric squares and button then wired onto frame. Near the top, computer disks were cut by placing them in warm water and cutting them with old scissors. Materials - Frame of tree- chicken wire, bicycle wheel, fan stand. Found during council clean up. Computer disks and metal buttons - accumulated over time. Organza, metallics and lining fabrics - left overs and give aways from friends. Shot silk skirt from op shop and worn to many parties." $120 |
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Sandra Cooke
Life Jacket Jacket made from pill packets My husband's sister donated a kidney to him in 2005. This has completely changed his life. The contents of these pill packets are a small price to pay for his well being. One sleeve alone is a month’s supply of anti-rejection drug. The jacket also has the appearance of gladiator armour....their form of protection/a life jacket. Materials used include Old jacket. Pill packets from medication. Dressmaker’s model. Orange fabric undershirt and collar-off cuts. Padding is bubble wrap from postal items. Yellow belt reused from old life jacket. $60 Dress model NOT included 
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Daryl Curtis
Mosaic surfboard - Redhead Beach An old surfboard recycled into mosaic art. Daryl Curtis
Mosaic surfboard - Marine An old surfboard recycled into mosaic art 
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Jackson Daley
Octopus Octopus wind chime made of plastic bottle tops, onion bag & other items. Plastic kills marine life Jackson Daley
Terrarium Terrarium made in Moccona coffee jar 
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Nahla Daley
Book of Secrets Sculpture from household items Nahla Daley
Terrarium Terrarium made in Moccona coffee jar 
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Pat Davidson
Unsustainable I hate all the soft plastic that food and the daily newspaper comes in. I can't just throw them in the recycling bin. This work is made from soft plastics and ironed together to make thicker coloured sheets. These have been cut and woven together to make a container that struggles to hold some of the original waste. 
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Lynn Davis
Hello Cocky Repurposed and repainted frame with wedding photo found on clean up day |
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Chris Douglass
Fantasy Fairy Garden Table Old table and fake grass off cut found on footpath during Council clean-up. Houses made from yoghurt containers, disposable coffee cup, plastic plant pots. Most small items found at Swansea Centre freebee area or Op shop. Table hand painted depicting fairy scenes. |
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Tamara Doggen
50 shades of beige Statement armchair encompassing fabric rich in texture and character. The collection of these items has been used as an educational tool to assist the collecting individuals understand the effects of micro plastics and small waste on the greater environment, including its effect on the food chain, but more pervasively, that these micro plastics are so prolific that they can be found in every single environment visited, even if on the outset a beautiful environment may seem pristine. |
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Denise Ellis
Flowers Painting of a vase of flowers from ring tops |
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Denise Ellis
Sculpture Sculpture out of rusty junk |
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Lyn Fraser
Wasted Acrylic on canvas, glue, cotton thread, various plastic and netting items. Plastic items were gathered from various places from the shores of Lake Macquarie (including Swansea and Warners Bay) as well as from other sources. The most appropriate items were selected and cleaned in preparation for gluing to the painting. The work is an image of a pelican which died from starvation after inadvertently swallowing large amounts of plastic which accumulated in the stomach over a period of time. While the body of the magnificent bird gradually fades into the earth, the plastic stays around to cause more havoc. |
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Gabby's Family Day Care
Welcome
Welcome sign from bottle caps
Welcome
Welcome sign from bottle caps
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Pam Garfoot
Elena, gift-wrapped Paper collage on board My work is a collage created from waste materials - old used wrapping papers collaged onto a piece of waste ply-board panel. |
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Grace Goldman
Asphyxiated Earth My display is trying to show what the future will look like and environmental damage humans are inflicting on Earth. It shows the effects of climate change, sea level rise and deforestation. To create the artwork I used a paper maché for the base then I painted it and finally covered it in household plastic finely chopped. |
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Vicki Harrington
Bluebell Blue Tongue Lizard sculpture made out of recycled packing materials. |
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Melinda Hicks
Blue Wrap Couture Couture dresses from surgical wrap I wanted to prove that a recycled dress could be couture. The "material' is the surgical wrap we use to sterilise instruments for surgery. It all gets thrown into the bin. I have been sewing the dresses for 5 years now and am challenged by making something beautiful from something that had served its purpose. |
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Lynden Jacobi
Lids 1 and Lids 2 Soy Fish 1 Plastic lids and sushi soy fish found on beaches, sidewalks and elsewhere from our home waste, painted with old model paints left over from projects my son used to do 25 years ago. The masonite was scavenged from a builder's skip. It distresses me how much waste we produce and how unconcerned we are about tossing it away; some so careless that they will toss it out of a car window, walking along the beach or in the bush. I pick up whatever rubbish I see wherever. Any bits that look like they could become a part of something bigger I keep and put it in a drawer for later. Recently I realised I had way too many of these bits and pieces and decided I had to create. |
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Olga Kalistratova-Smith
Bags from bags A purse, a handbag, a backpack and two shoulder bags have been crocheted from plastic shopping bags. |
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Olga Kalistratova-Smith
T-shirt rug Rug woven from upcycled t-shirts |
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KU Windale Preschool
The Rainbow Snake Made from leftover board, yoghurt pouch lids and acrylic paint This work came about because the children at KU Windale Preschool have been exploring waste on Awabakal land and how they can actively work to reduce, reuse and recycle. Early on in our project we discovered that the plastic lids for yogurt pouches were being collected at a rapid rate as lots of children ate them at preschool. We began discussions with the children around how we could reuse or repurpose these lids instead of sending them to landfill. |
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We asked our families to help us collect lids at home and before we knew it we had hundreds. We spent some time learning with them through sorting, counting, patterning and making pictures when one of the teachers suggested making a work of art for the Waste to Art project. After much discussion and playing around one of the children, Tiara, noticed the abundance of colours the lids provided, like a rainbow. This prompted another child, Stanley, to remember the dreaming story of “The Rainbow Snake”. We decided we would make the rainbow snake using a left over board that came with packaging from equipment bought for preschool, some acrylic paint which we already had and our yogurt pouch lids.
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Mandy McDonald
Birds Collage from repainted canvas, photos, map and paper |
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Loraine Micevski
Can we S-L-O-W D-O-W-N FAST FASHION? Wall hanging from salvaged wool and old silk fabric There is so much textile wastage in the fashion industry and consumers often seek the latest and sometimes cheapest fast fashion with little regard to the “real” cost. s but the real flowers are actually very small and hard to see. New trends, over consumption and clever advertising will lure us into acquiring fast fashion and we may not always consider the real, invisible or hidden costs. My artwork is made from an old tree branch wrapped with surplus knitting wool. The flowers and leaves are made from old silk fabric lining and assembled by using simple knotting. No glue or stitching - just tying lots of knots. I tried to replicate the look of a bougainvillea as this species often tricks us into thinking the coloured leaves are the flower. Yes, fashion can be fun but we need to think about ethical fashion, whether it is sustainably made, if it will it last beyond a few wears and if it can be donated or recycled? Upcycling can be beautiful. If an item cannot be donated look at how components of a garment can be salvaged and reused. Can it be made into a piece of art rather than sending it to landfill! |
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Claire Mitchell
Candelabras Work from recycled paper, cardboard and timber inlaid with glass mosaics, shell and metal. The sculpture works are functional and designs are influenced by the beach and sea. |
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Claire Mitchell
Octopus Work from recycled paper, cardboard and timber inlaid with glass mosaics, shell and metal. The sculpture works are functional and designs are influenced by the beach and sea. Claire Mitchell
Apples ain't Apples Work from recycled paper, cardboard and timber inlaid with glass mosaics, shell and metal. 
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Elena Moore
Wall hanging Wall hanging from curtain rings and cord Elena Moore
Candle holder Candle holder from marbles and a CD 
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Elena Moore
Candles
Candles in unwanted glasses / tumblers
Candles
Candles in unwanted glasses / tumblers
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Newcastle High School Room 5
Wind wizard Made from painted bicycle wheel, fishing line, beads, coloured plastic bottle lids. |
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Newcastle High School Room 5
Eye
Polystyrene packaging, plastic lids, glue.
Eye
Polystyrene packaging, plastic lids, glue.
Jill Overton
Leaves
Never leaves
Sculpture from leaves and found plastics
Leaves
Never leaves
Sculpture from leaves and found plastics
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Kay Pittelkow
PET bottle jewellery Jewellery made from PET bottles The "beads" for this necklace were made from pieces of empty soft drink bottles held over a candle flame. The edges were coloured with alcohol pen (Sharpie) and the beads were strung with seed beads harvested from a discarded lampshade. The earring beads were dipped in ink dissolved in alcohol to give them colour. The jewellery fixings (clasp and chain) were recycled from jewellery found in Op shops. 
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Kay Pittelkow
Bike tube pinched petal jewellery
Jewellery made from bike tyre tubes
The "beads" for these necklaces were cut out of discarded bike tubes donated by Revolver Bikes in Wangi Wangi. The circular beads were pinched to form a petal and strung with seed beads harvested from a discarded lampshade. The jewellery fixings (clasp and chain) were recycled from jewellery found in Op shops.
Bike tube pinched petal jewellery
Jewellery made from bike tyre tubes
The "beads" for these necklaces were cut out of discarded bike tubes donated by Revolver Bikes in Wangi Wangi. The circular beads were pinched to form a petal and strung with seed beads harvested from a discarded lampshade. The jewellery fixings (clasp and chain) were recycled from jewellery found in Op shops.
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Dianne Powell
Window Wash
The old windows from a demolished laundry were used in an Acrylic Fluid Art class (mixed paint pours), then later the frames were painted and found rope hangers threaded through the original brass catches for the push-out style of window.
Window Wash
The old windows from a demolished laundry were used in an Acrylic Fluid Art class (mixed paint pours), then later the frames were painted and found rope hangers threaded through the original brass catches for the push-out style of window.
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Mayya RJess
Calming toy A calming toy, looking like an alien insect that represents a character from Ohmu Larva from the cartoon Nausikea From The Valley of Winds (by Ghibli Studio) |
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Bettie Taylor
Night Sky Wreath Recycled plastic bottle wreath Materials: Plastic recycled water bottles, wooden wreath, acrylic paint I collected 50+ bottles over a month from friends and family, cut and painted each bottle, and formed into wreath. I made it to show just how much plastic waste can be made into one piece of art. Better than being in the ocean or landfill somewhere. For more info on using recycled plastic from the ocean in everyday household cleaning items, check out facebook.com/zeroco. |
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Szuszy Timar
Neck piece Bread tags threaded together to form a neck piece I am relatively new to the Hunter Region-coming from Sydney. My studio is based in Islington, within the group known as -The Creator Incubator. Most of my work is through up cycling. I can be found on Instagram and Facebook. The concept I work to in the main is; people leave things, items, on my bench and then I try to make something from them. It is a lot of fun and involves quite a lot of lateral thinking. Much looser than the very accurate and specific earlier practice as a silversmith. I am constantly learning new skills and accepting that this type of work is very time consuming but none the less rewarding. |
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Isabella Turner
Owl Stance Sculpture from cardboard and buttons from my Nan's old dressing gown |
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Isabella Turner
THE DRESS Dress from Woolworths gift cards Inspired by the American Express gold card dress worn to the 67th Academy Awards in 1995 by Lizzy Gardiner. |
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U3A Mixed Media Art Group
Totem Lake Mac A collection of 12 paintings depicting typical scenes around Lake Mac. Materials used include discarded rollup blinds and large round cardboard packing tube. The representation will be collated to produce a final form, but some of the items used will be masked while others left as is, to show the audience these common recognition items and have them asking themselves about the contribution to these wastes - even if unintentionally. |
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Women's Shed on the Lake
Pot plant chair Pot plant stand made from broken chair The garden chair started out as an old discarded kitchen chair with a hole in the seat. Members of the ‘Woodies’ woodworking group at Marmong Point assisted us by making the hole in the seat large enough to fit a plant pot. One of our members, Dale, took on the task of stripping and sanding the chair before another member, Nicole, painted it. The paint was generously donated from ‘Love Farmhouse Style’ at Teralba. Tania, the talented daughter of Kathy (one of our members) did the fantastic artwork which decorates the chair and the pot. Margaret planted the succulents in a small pot which could be removed for transportation. |
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Women's Shed on the Lake
Lounge chair Reupholstered lounge chair The Lounge chair was donated to our group by ‘Wasted Knot’ at Teralba. The fabric was donated by Dianne, a member of our group. Margaret and Dale had the task of taking the chair apart to remove the existing covering which was worn and dirty. With advice from ‘Wasted Knot’ Margaret made a new cover using the old fabric as a pattern. All parts of the chair were reused. The chair was put back together, and the cover stapled by Alison, Lyn and Dale. |
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Ray Woodley
Mr & Mrs Scraps Sculpture made from recycled unwanted materials Introducing Mr & Mrs Scraps. Mr and Mrs Scraps are made of recycled unwanted materials. They are a very eclectic couple sit comfortably on their timber dinkies. Mrs Scraps wears her upcycled beads and is a very stylish woman. Mr Scraps rides around on his trike with his Walkman in. His Aluminium hat and metal washer earring makes him a real a real cool dude. He stands out in a crowd. Upcycled materials used in my work: Recycled building timber, communication wire, copper wire, plastic milk bottle, recycled beads, matchbox, metal washers. |
| Waste to Art 2019 - Project evaluation.pdf |
