“I’ve done a lot of traveling in third world countries, and you just don’t see much trash there. Garbage, yes. Rotten fruit, for instance. But you wouldn’t see a broken pipe or a piece of metal being thrown away. Someone would have found it and made something of it. They’ll take a little piece of tin and turn it into a necklace or bracelet. That’s the sort of thing I grew up doing too. We lived out in the country and didn’t have much money, so we learned to use what we had and not to waste. My father always fixed things around the house and rigged up whatever we needed. I was probably in college before I realized you could hire people to do that stuff.
"I think the impulse to be creative with what I have comes from that background. As a kid, I was always making things---bringing home sticks and turning them into people or objects---and that interest continued on into adulthood. I’ve had various jobs to support myself, but I’ve always found a way to make art. There’s a big movement in the art world now of taking things that are meant for one purpose and turning them into something else. That appeals to me; it's what I've always done. If I'm working on a leather project, I might find some old purses at a thrift store, for instance, take them apart, and repurpose the hardware. It's cheaper and less wasteful. I use all kinds of materials when I do metalwork or blacksmithing, when I weave baskets, paint, or create reed sculptures. I don't really have an art specialty; I make some of everything. I just think of it as life. I do it because it’s who I am. If I sell some pieces, that’s great. If I don’t, that’s okay too. I’d be making things whether I was paid for it or not.”
"I think the impulse to be creative with what I have comes from that background. As a kid, I was always making things---bringing home sticks and turning them into people or objects---and that interest continued on into adulthood. I’ve had various jobs to support myself, but I’ve always found a way to make art. There’s a big movement in the art world now of taking things that are meant for one purpose and turning them into something else. That appeals to me; it's what I've always done. If I'm working on a leather project, I might find some old purses at a thrift store, for instance, take them apart, and repurpose the hardware. It's cheaper and less wasteful. I use all kinds of materials when I do metalwork or blacksmithing, when I weave baskets, paint, or create reed sculptures. I don't really have an art specialty; I make some of everything. I just think of it as life. I do it because it’s who I am. If I sell some pieces, that’s great. If I don’t, that’s okay too. I’d be making things whether I was paid for it or not.”
Photos below compliments of Wayne Henderson:
Wayne Henderson, Artist
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
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