Art or artifice? Designer Nolan Herbut’s Wolfgang Keyboard Bench is quite a concept.

The undulating bench consists of a Baltic Birch frame covered with 2,000 computer keyboard keys. The keys actually click when pressed, presumably by one’s derriere.

Artist Gints Grinbergs specializes in making art from found and recycled materials. He created “Sputnik” (pictured above) by welding together old screwdrivers with colored handles for a show called Contemporary Boston Colorists.

The artist states that this piece comments on that original Soviet satellite – which was probably Mickey Moused together…18″ diameter x 32″ high.

He sells some of his work at his sculptednailsandhair etsy shop.

So you didn’t think recycling was an art form…well it can be. Artist Nick Georgiou transforms recycled print materials into transfixing art pieces and sculptures. He tries to keep it local – garnering discarded newspapers, magazines and books from his immediate surroundings, which for the past two years has been Tuscon, AZ.

As today’s printed word is quickly gobbled up by the evermore ubiquitous Kindle and its brethren, Senor Georgiou’s art stands as a striking reminder of a more tactile reading experience. Hit the link above to see more of his great work.

For the crafty wanna-be’s…get a little help with an all-inclusive sewing kit and make your own woolly little rabbit. When fully realized, the 8-inch high critter dons a merino wool tail and stuffing sourced from recycled woolen sweaters. Comes with a cream colored belly and a choice of 5 cool colors.

From Kit and Caboodle Designs, the Kit includes: pattern, instructions, wool fabric, embroidery thread, needle + pins, wool tail and stuffing. Just add pencil and scissors and start to DIY. (reminder: Easter is April 24 this year)

Here’s where to get the Sew A Rabbit whole kit and caboodle. $19

Let’s face it, an artist’s necessities can add up fast when shopping at an art supply store. Making your own handmade tools and mediums is fun and easy, and most of the things you’ll need to make them can be found right in your own home. Children love arts and crafts projects, too — why not make some supplies together? It would be a great way to spend a rainy afternoon, and it won’t break the bank. From paint and paintbrushes to clay, glue and crayons – here goes…

Paintbrushes
To make your own paint brush, you will need an 8 to 12 inch dowel or stick (an old handle of some sort would work nicely, too), a fiber of your choosing, glue, and a long string or a few rubber-bands. Some fiber suggestions for the bristles include hair (animal or human), feathers, shreds of stiff fabric, plant materials (ferns or long pine needles), or bristles from an old broom. The length of the fiber should be at least 2 inches. (more…)

The Bay Area will be the home of a first-ever SF Green Film Fest: March 3-6, 2011. Highlights include the west coast premiere of Werner Herzog’s new documentary feature, HAPPY PEOPLE: A YEAR IN THE TAIGA, described by Variety as as a mesmerizing Walden-like ode to wilderness.

In celebration of the Opening Night’s “plastic pollution theme,” the Festival will screen the Bay Area premiere of the award-winning film BAG IT, in partnership with Berkeley’s Plastic Pollution Coalition.

“San Francisco is universally regarded as an epicenter of both the global Green Movement and as an activist and issue conscious film community,” says Rachel Caplan, the Festival Founder and Director. “This amazingly diverse city has many film festivals but none that directly and solely addresses these issues and audiences – The San Francisco Green Film Festival grew out of the need to fill that void.”

Included will be over 60 premieres from around the globe, with an Opening Night Green Carpet Gala kick-off on Thursday, March 3rd at the LEED-certified Bently Reserve. They’re looking for volunteers and founding donors – more @ sfgreenfilmfest.org.

via: press release

Brazilian designer, Domingos Tótora, returned to his hometown after studying design in Sao Paulo and chose cardboard as the source material for his work that falls between art and design.

Starting with recycled cardboard, Domingos creates objects and sculptures that create art and function out recycled refuse that would otherwise hit the landfill or be recycled as a cereal box.

(more…)

There are a lot of ways to deliver a message. Can something as free and flowing as a dance performance communicate the ubiquitous, planet-choking impact of plastic in our everyday lives?

The world premiere of Plastic People of the Universe, a new work by choreographer Lynn Neuman will be performed by the Artichoke Dance Company this Saturday, January 22 at the Irondale Center, 85 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn, NY.  Tix $20-25. 7:30pm

As described by the dance company: Through movement, film, text, and design, the work addresses the exponential growth of plastics since its invention, the repercussions it is being discovered to have on the human body and cycles of creation and destruction. Recycled plastic six-pack holders serve as the base component for the costumes, by Olek, and set.

Here’s a peek at the company (above and below) performing another work, Human Mapping Project, which addresses litter on the beach: (more…)

Tsunami Glassworks makes these art glass wall panels – they call them green wall panels – from reclaimed window glass, recycled glass shards and recycled wine bottles. Quite spectacular. These decorative panels can be arranged in variety of different configurations.