plant pot making
i think i may have gotten a little carried away

The unexpected.
I have been making planters out of recycled bottles. Inspired by people such as Anna Garforth, whom creates intriguing city installations out of moss and also created a series entitled "Head Gardener" which I have looked at previously for a different project. The "Head Gardener" series uses old milk bottles transformed to create intriguing plant pots. I feel this is a really good use of materials, up-cycling the old, encouraging a sustainable approach and a DIY ethic.

I have been using old juice bottles, building on top of this, layers of old newspaper and tissue paper applied with glue and white paint. By putting a whole in the lid and using the bottle upside down, it allows it also to work as a sustainable growth pot for the plant to survive. I wanted to apply the papers in such a way that it built up a different form from the original shape of the bottle. On top of this looking to create a hexagonal pattern to link in with our branding and what we are about. I initially looked at glue gunning patterns onto the bottles which created an intriguing effect, the heat manipulating the plastic a little.

But i didn't like how obvious it still remained that it was a juice bottle. From this once the paper was already applied, I started to play with the pattern on top of that, looking at creating a pattern with masking tape and stenciling on the pattern with spray paint, before settling upon using netting to paint over, then removing when the paint was almost dry to create a subtle honey comb.

 For the aesthetic of them I was intirgued by artists such as Karla Black and Franz West. I like they're DIY aesthetic.

I fear I got a little carried away while creating these, spending too much time, wasting time, creating something which is only designed to be a mocket a little too intensely. Although I am happy with the final outcome and am trying to make more for the exhibition.