ARLENE WEINSTOCK

“Recyclables” is about finding beauty in materials others discard. I create a textured and layered paper surface from shredded office documents. I paint the handmade paper with watercolor and gouache. The painting grows from two colors with more colors added as needed. Handmade paper making starts with creating pulp. I shred office paper then blend it with water to make the pulp. Using a flat screen mounted on a frame, I lift the pulp out of its wide container. Pressing the pulp-covered screen with a flat board removes water. A soft wet paper peels off the screen for placement on my work surface. I add more sheets of wet paper to build the base. Textures are pressed into the base layer. Making the paper is a sculptural activity that allows an organic shape to emerge. This artwork is completely recyclable. There are no plastics or toxic fillers in the paper or paint.

Many things that are disposable could be reused or recycled.  Our society driven by social media also makes relationships and people easy to discard. Reusing scrap paper to create art is a statement about values.