Turning Waste into Art
For the past couple of years, Aldridge State High School fashion students have been turning waste into haute couture that showcases their talents and shines a light on ways of turning waste into new, useful products.
Aldridge High fashion students Mackenzie Sullivan, Dakota Tye and Jayde Tones took second prize in the 12-to-17-year category of the Waste to Art competition last year, with a ballgown made from packing cardboard, dead flowers and old coat hangers.
The Under 18’s People’s Choice Award was a summer dress made from recycled newspapers created by students Kirra Flynn and Mirriam Hope.
Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said the dresses showcased the central theme of the competition – getting people to think about changing the way they look at waste and finding new ways to reuse or repurpose waste.
Aldridge High fashion teacher Tammy Davis was thrilled when students took out the Under 18’s People’s Choice Award and looked forward to seeing what students came up with for the 2023 Waste to Art competition.
“I was blown away with the teamwork and respect the students showed each other last year as they made their group artwork come to life,” she said.
“In the design process, the students had to problem solve to ensure they used sustainable practices. This led them to reconsider aspects of their design, such as hand sewing and knotting pieces together rather than using glue or staples as was their original plan.
“They not only looked at turning waste into new items but how they could make those new items without increasing greenhouse gases or boosting their carbon footprint.
“In the fashion unit, the students are looking at ways to recycle, repair and reduce and a good place to look is their wardrobe.
“It helps focus attention on their clothing items, how they are made, and how they can be repaired or reused without creating more greenhouse gases.
“It’s not just about designing a dress but looking at the process to divert material from landfill and create new items without creating more greenhouse gases.
“This year, the three fashion items they aim to create will focus on significant female Maryborough figures such as Mary Fitzroy, after whom the city is named, Mary Poppins and Mary Heritage.
“Some of the ideas so far have included reusing plastic that would either have one use, such as straws or plastics that would have ended up in landfill, such as shopping bags and material offcuts.”
With $3,500 in prizemoney on offer, the Waste to Art competition attracts a wide range of entries.
“The competition is open to all budding artists and allows them to showcase their creations,” Cr Seymour said.
“The only catch is that the artworks must be made from recycled or re-purposed items or materials sourced from Fraser Coast Regional Council Reuse Markets, Fraser Coast op shops or second-hand shops.
“The competition is a chance for people to tap into their creativity.
“In the past, entries have ranged from pieces of art of fully functional furniture made from repurposed items such as old TV sets made into bookshelves or fish tanks.
“The competition helps focus attention on recycling and repurposing items, showing how items can be reused and not just thrown away.”
The first prize is $1,000 for the over 18’s category.
The competition is free to enter and open to all budding artists.
Application forms can be found on the Council website www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/waste-to-art
The competition offers a prize pool of $3,500 across four age categories and people choice awards:
- Category 1 (18+ years)
- Category 2 (12-17 years)
- Category 3 (8-11 years)
- Category 4 (under 8s)
- People’s Choice award for senior exhibition
- People’s Choice award for junior exhibition
Because of the popularity of the competition, there have been some changes to the entry requirements, including a limit of one entry per person and schools limited to five entries per school.
Entries for the Waste to Art Competition will be displayed at Gatakers Artspace from 17 November 2023 to 7 January 2024.
Cr Seymour thanked the sponsors who helped Council stage the competition: Cleanaway, Hyne Timber, Reuse & Recycle Group and NuGrow.
“These companies are interested in recycling, upcycling and repurposing materials which otherwise would be considered waste,” he said.
