The human spirit will never cease to amaze us in its struggle for artistic expression. In the past, artisans molded the earth to create what today are considered great works of art; Michelangelo’s David cut from marble, the great pyramids of ancient Egypt fashioned out of stone. Present day artisans are finding new and innovative ways to express their creativity while at the same time addressing environmental concerns. They are taking discarded modern day materials and turning them into beautiful works of Art.

In Haiti, artisans are at work taking discarded oil drums and fashioning them into wall sculptures in a variety of designs. The drums are cut down the side and flattened into a four by six metal sheet, which becomes the canvas from which the artist creates his work. Using a stick of chalk a design is drawn onto the metal canvas. With the use of a hammer and chisel the metal is pounded into works of art that would adorn any home decor. The wall sculptures come in a variety of shapes, sizes and themes; squares, rectangles and circle patterns are available. A high gloss painted finish adorns each of the finished artworks.

Artisans from Guatemala, take ordinary discarded coke and seven-up bottles and turn them into beautiful glass wall sconces. The tops of the bottles are cut off and mouth openings sealed to create a glass vase to embellish the walls of any home. They are excellent for displaying fresh cut or silk flowers. The glass vases are approximately 9 inches in height and are available in the colors blue, clear and of course seven-up green. They make great gifts for any occasion.

Did you ever wonder what to do with all those old books that you have lying around the house? Well one company came up with an interesting solution for old books that no one else has any use for. The books are recycled, but with a new twist. They turn them into clocks. New covers, with a variety of themes, are fashioned and placed over the old weathered ones and a clock mechanism is inserted into the book from its back. While the books cannot be opened, it provides one answer to the question as to what to do with old books that will be discarded. The Book Clocks come in two sizes, small and large and are available in a variety of themes; categories include the Kitchen, Special Interests, Home Decor and Children . The small and large Book Clocks measure approximately 7.5” x 8” and 8.5” x 10.5”, respectively.
                                                                                         
In an age where the world is depleting its natural resources at an accelerated rate, it is refreshing to learn how certain individuals have come up with ways to reuse discarded materials to produce works of art. We could all learn something from them.

Nick Volpe searches for unique artifacts. Those mentioned within this article are from the Beyond Borders and The Old Book Clock Collections and can be viewed on his website at http://www.nfvproducts.com .