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Greetings!
What is upcycling and what does it have to do with the library? Well, upcycling is basically your own creative reuse of products. In a world full of disposable items - what if we looked at that item you're about to toss and see what else you can make of it?
One of my favorite examples of this was when I was a Bay Area kid, and I went with two of my siblings on the BART train to San Francisco. They wanted to take me to an exhibit on the props from Star Wars and Indiana Jones. I saw how they had reused products to make some of the famous items in Hollywood. I was in awe seeing these original lightsabers, costumes, and starships. As a young artist I was amazed at how creative these artisans were, but at their core many of these visual effects artists were using old products in new ways for these films...thinking "what can I use again to make something no one else has ever seen?". Old photography equipment, painting on sheets of glass (matte painting), reused toy models & dolls, and the textures! Their creative reuse, and honor of the past inspired future movie makers. I kept the exhibit book From Star Wars to Indiana Jones: the Best of the Lucasfilm Archives on my home bookshelf between my art books & repair books as inspiration.
I'm not saying that you should upcycle everything, but let a little creativity flow sometimes!
What does this have to do with the library? Well, our library is hosting a number of fun events to help tap into your creativity and think more about upcycling at home. Find a book that helps tap into your creative spark to learn a new skill, and look into a junk drawer for inspiration.
Today, my son loves his "puppets" which are just drawings glued onto cardboard cereal & pizza box strips. He also has a superhero alter ego with a mask he made. Hours and hours of fun with his imagination. Just think of the endless possibilities of what you can create?
Warmly~
Brian
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