Trashion Camp
Oh hey, I'm late writing my weekly blog post again, I know, I know...everyone is SO surprised.
I don't know, you guys. I somehow turned a part-time health care job into a full-time health care job because I fell in love with my clients, and I truly believe this work is so very important...but it wipes me out. Regularly. So I'm just kind of...giving myself these weekly deadlines, but also not beating myself up too much about not being super on time, because if I do, my mental health will tank. I hope you understand. I feel like you do. Plus, I feel like this is what I wanted to do - show the REAL behind-the-scenes parts about being an artist. Not just the "oh, here's this secret closet in my studio" or " here's the behind-the-scenes at a vendor event," but also saying and exhibiting that, "hey, sometimes it's hard to find energy to be creative when your 9-5 wipes you out."
So, you know...you're just going to get all of the things.
Anyway, I had a 10-hour shift today, but I have all of the creative energy because I had the most amazing meeting yesterday! Friends - we're going to bring a trashion show to Peoria! There are a lot of things to figure out, but I believe that we can make it happen. However, I want to lean so hard into the education aspect, so we're also going to do a trashion boot camp. We're not only going to talk about how to turn trash into cool stuff, but we're going to talk about the different kinds of plastics, what those chasing arrows mean, what can be recycled in our town and where it can be recycled, and what certain terms like "virgin plastic " and " post-production plastic" and " extended producer responsibility" mean.
In 2018, I took a MOOC (which is a "Massive Open Online Course") on marine debris from the UN Environment Programme and Open Universiteit. It taught me so much, and I would love to do something kind of similar. I want us to make clothes and/or jewelry out of plastic, but I want us to do it in the most educated and responsible way that we can. When people ask us what we made, I want us to blow them away with how cool our designs are but also with our knowledge, and then send them off with action items so that they'll be inspired to help change the world.
I've been feeling a little lost with my art and the direction that I want to take, and I feel really excited for the first time in a very long time. AND, I feel like for a lot of you, this is what you wanted. You wanted the tutorials, and this is a way for me to present them in a way that aligns with my values. I can do the "how," but it's going to come with the "why." It has to be that way; otherwise - for me- there's no joy. And I worry - actually, I KNOW that when people try to do what I do without including the education and a solid why, they can do more harm. I've seen it.
Can I tell you a horror story? A long time ago, I was asked to help kids build a big plastic sculpture out of garbage. They wanted to use those fruit net bags for part of it, so the moms all started calling each other and telling each other to buy fruit in net bags so that they would have the right kind of garbage for this ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION art piece! The why wasn't there. The education wasn't there.
So. I'm excited about this because this is where my heart is. And I also know that as I put together each lesson plan, I'm going to learn so much more as well.
Our current plan is 4 in-person sessions starting in January, open to kids and adults, with a max of 40 people. And every lesson will be available online for mail and online only subscribers. We have some more stuff to figure out, but oh my god, I am so excited about this. I think this is where I've been trying to go; I just couldn't figure it out. But the people who are subscribing? You gave me the freedom to get here! You made it possible for me to be chaotic while I tried to figure it out. And that's some behind-the-scenes stuff, too! All of the chaos as you work towards your vision.
I know so many artists who are laser-focused on their work and who know exactly what they want, and they have a recognizable style and a plan and...that's just not me. My work changes as my life changes, and my brain gets messy and loses focus, and I can't figure any of it out until I just...figure it out. And to be clear - this is a plan in progress. It has not been completely figured ot et. But I'm going to share all of the things with you as we build it into what I want it to be. Basically, you'll know what's happening as I know.
Anyway. Does anybody have any feedback? Because I will take it. For real. We learn together, and we learn from each other, and my ears are open,
Love, Jessica
Comments