Recycling Peasant

HI All....as many of you know the 'Little Shop' is part of an 18th century set of stables... and the walls do not hold heat very well! During these colder months it is almost impossible for it to hold any heat at all, therefore it is colder inside than out! As the weather warms up it will open up again..and I will post on here to when. Hope to see you all again soon when the weather warms a little. Kind Regards, Recycling Peasant

It's that time of year...time to clear the shelves and have an early spring-clean in the little shop!.. Opening up again Monday 7th Jan... This year there are also some free textiles and other reclaimed things for you all to work on for your own projects...What could you do or make with cheese-wheel boxes and copious amounts textiles and news paper?...Mmmm now let me think!....

Here is my stash of little eco-prints made into lavender sachets to put in ones draws* or hang on ones doors... they're in the shop...come and get yours..

Welcome to the world of the Rosebay Willowherb, it is an edible plant with medicinal properties and makes a herbal tea. It is also an interesting plant to eco-print as it is full of so much colour that pops everywhere. This is part of a scarf which is my first eco-print commission.

In these last few weeks I've been foraging in our urban hedgerows finding the spent leaves of trees, berries and nettles and the seeded stems of weeds; and have been naturally dyeing calico with this wonderful Autumn bounty. I have fallen in love with this delicate art that distills the essence of the bark of trees, flowers, seeds and leaves.
The Provenance of Cloth.... "Bark from fallen trees... and leaves that had spent their last.... Berries popping in a stainless pan....A moody landscape from dawn to dusk...".

Distilled from the hedgerows this eco-print

Hi Everyone, the heat over the last month has knocked me for 'six'....and am having a week or so break, but I will still be busy making things for the little shop with me feet up for a while....plan to be back again with lots more little gifts on 23rd August. See you then, and enjoy the rest of our summer.

When you look into a simple painted bowl and see the universe...its then that you know ' times they are a changing!'

It's been great in the studio today....Met a lady from Oxford who is on a jaunt to the North East. She loved the tour of the studio and of the things reclaimed here. Have been working on these wooden bowls now for a while, as they needed some TLC. I painted them because they were battled scarred...but then thought...Nope! Battle scarred or not they are a natural organic material...counting the rings on one of the larger of the bowls, I realised that when this tree was cut do...wn it was already over 70 years old. When sanding some of the paint back off I decided to stop removing the paint half way, as I quite liked to keep that harmonious point of transition 'of what once was...and what could be', and at that point they changed to be quite contemporary. The little ceramic leaf spoon is a fragile little thing and so precious and is a collaboration with Lindsey Starborn, a local ceramic artist here in Darlington.
See More

It has been too warm in the studio today...so much so I could hardly think! Deciding to paint a flower picture, working on a little garden design....Mmmm...Now what to put it on? Something reclaimed I think ♻️

A week or so ago, I spent time with Lindsey Starborn in her ceramic studio in Darlington...teaching me how to make pottery buttons, with beautiful coloured oxides. Today she came to see me in Darlington's Clarks Yard at the 'Recycling Peasant' studio with real 'treasure' wrapped in a tiny bundle....my little ammonite shaped buttons....she had fired them for me in her kiln. Thank you Lindsey for your time and patience and generosity in teaching me this new skill.

"Echo 3 to Echo 7...... Han, old buddy,..... you read me?"
This is 'Luke Skywalker's' and 'Han Solo's' call sign from 'STAR WARS'... it echos in spirit around the High Row end of Clark's Yard. Following a white apparition ....being absolutely sure I saw a Storm Trooper disappearing into this cool, trendy coffee house, with the aroma of roasting coffee beans and a reclaim pallet wood interior....finding a warm and rustic atmosphere where people gather to enjoy freshly roast...ed artisan coffee... which is absolutely delicious! I remember walking in there a few weeks ago wondering what was this all about? I was impressed with the coffee and the reclaim wooden cladding on the walls, and the warm manner of Echo 3's coffee house owners Khris and his Wife. On leaving their establishment I looked up onto the shelf and saw a bust of Darth Vader, and also one of a Storm Trooper; turning to leave and mentioning that I had some reclaim art they may be interested in. For 6 years I had carried this rusty bracketed, reclaim-art triptych called, 'Celestial Phenomenon /Cosmic Hinterland', around with me under my arm, or in a bag or trolley, looking for a place that would suit it's genre....having walked into many places and walking out again thinking...'Nope'...doesn' t fit in there! Finally I had found the place that it suited and asked Chris if I could display and possibly sell it there. It now hangs happily on a wall on the first floor, opposite a cool, black leather, chesterfield sofa. Many Thanks to 'Echo 3'....
See More

This beautiful embroidered table cloth with a great big rip and other tares and holes was given to me by Mrs Palmer from 'Mrs Palmer's Pantry' for repair. Deciding that the tablecloth was too far gone to return it to pristine condition for use in her little Tea Shop I decided to make some bonny pin-badges from the vintage hand embroidery. While looking at the beautiful embroidery which must have taken a woman weeks or months to complete, and feeling glad that I was able to save as much of her work as possible; reclaiming the tablecloth and its embroideries for everyone to cherish. These bonny pins will soon be on sale in 'Mrs Palmer's Pantry' in Clarks Yard...a pretty little tearoom with a timeless feel..and in my opinion the best handmade cakes in the town of Darlington

The Plastic Challenge continues....after finding the little Chinese egg in a box of 'bits and bobs', I decided to do some more research about China which took me to Liverpool and the exhibition of the Terracotta Warriors. I thank my friends from Middlesborough for coming to find me when I got lost. Finally I got to the Museum of Liverpool, and saw the most Majestic...Amazing and Awesome exhibition! Still thinking about the plastic challenge and the little painted egg, I took... in the exhibition, and came across this sculpture of a goose. I thought about the fairytale about the goose that laid the Golden Egg! When I got home I took some of the donated plastic from the plastic-challenge. I chose an orange piece to represent the beautiful painted orange chrysanthemum on the egg. I decided to make some little, orange, egg-shaped, post and stud earrings from my inspiring journey back in time, into the history of China.
See More

On Tuesday, after rummaging around some old boxes, to find some inspiration for my work I came across this beautiful little egg... how it had survived I really don't know among all the pieces of wood and metal objects. I think the little egg is Oriental possibly Chinese as part of the decoration is a Chrysanthemum. It is transfer printed and hand tinted...somehow this little blown egg survived a long journey, and I felt the need to rescue it, to put it into my studio..to feel the inspiration it brings and to love it loads.........My plastic challenge has now started ..I wish to thank all those who donated their reclaimed plastic...I will work on them and in a few weeks time we shall have little creations....the inspiration...well maybe this beautiful egg!

Today in my little Recycling Peasant's little open studio & shop...i have sadly listened to the crunching of the demolition squad as they start the clean-up /knock down of some of the beautiful period shops in Skinnergate after a tragic and terrible fire starting at 4pm this morning. By the time I got to the studio the fire on Skinnergate was out, and they quardened off my end of Clarks Yard right next to my studio front door. I was able to get in and start, making little pieces if collage art, a little notebook with a key as a fob...and another piece of collage art in the making. In the next week or so much more will be done in the clear up of Skinnergate, I expect to be listening to a lot more demolition but will try and concentrate to make a few more little arty pieces.

Canvas art incorporating reclaimed objects found on the street Original artwork..Three of these make an 'industrial' triptych..printed with Eco-friendly screen inks.