Recycled art is wonderful to find and share, but I sometimes wonder about the processes to make it. Are they just as eco-friendly as the materials used?
“Wearable art made without burning fossil fuels from stuff I find.”
McKenna Hallet is an inspiring found-object artist who truly practices what she preaches. Besides having an eye for making stunning jewelry pieces out of trash ‘n scraps, she uses her jewelry to introduce her concept to “Stop Recycling”–no, don’t blink, you read that right.
VS - Voluntary Simplicity Movement
Ms. Hallet subscribes to the beliefs of the Voluntary Simplicity Movement (VSM), which encourages everyone to build a strong awareness of their impact on the environment. They also advise on ways to reduce that impact via simple and frugal living.
In line with those beliefs, McKenna tries not to use fossil fuels (heat or electrical based) to make her pieces. So, without the use of power tools , torches or chemicals, she depends on her own ingenuity to devise processes to work with her found objects. She uses only a bare minimum of new materials for earring backings and other such small findings, and, of course, a shop light and fan to help her during her work.
The Beauty of Simplicity
Using her own two hands, McKenna presses, mends and cuts materials such as sheet metal and copper wiring into earrings, pendants, brooches and, now, framed art. There are several beautiful pieces that I love, including:
- Integrating Hearts - aluminum and copper hearts encased within a brass mesh.
- Draped Aluminum - 60 year old aluminum bent over airplane generator winding.
- Origami - Gutter and rooftop copper folded beautifully.
Although Ms. Hallet does not sell her work via the internet, she does have pieces available in select store across the country. Visit her website to find out more information about her pieces or her “Stop Recycling” VS concept.
McKenna Hallet’s Lower Impact Jewelry
2 Responses to “Quick Finds: Lower Impact Jewelry”
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About this blog
Featuring artistic items made from recycled materials and a creative heart. Artists, crafters & companies are welcome to submit their items.
Octavine Illustration
March 28th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
thank you so much for your sweet comments on my blog. in response to your question about my ironwork mannequin, i bought it on ebay. i don’t remember the name of the shop but if you search for “iron mannequin” you should be able to find it. wonderful posts by the way, i enjoyed reading. cheers.~
MoonSage
April 1st, 2008 at 12:12 am
This is an idea that I hope to see more folks doing - or maybe they’ve been doing it but I haven’t noticed. Actually it’s something I might consider doing if I ever had the time or energy to get involved in.
Now that I think of it, my niece gave me a beaded necklace a while back that had a small triangular piece of brass with a hole at the top that she might have drilled there but I’m not sure.
Simplicity has always been the key to many things and art is no exception.
I wonder if McKenna Hallet knows about the Etsy shops.
Anyway, I’m glad I stopped in here, it looks like a very interesting place I’d like to spend some time looking around here and coming back to in the future. I’m glad we got a chance to “meet”. Thanks for stopping by my place and for your input as well. You got me thinking back to some fond memories of when our power went out for about two weeks back in ‘95 due to an ice storm.
Peace, love and understanding.