Art Crush

Art Crush: Josh Blackwell’s Plastic Bags

I stumbled across Josh Blackwell's artwork online and I couldn't stop staring at it. (He doesn't seem to have a website anymore, FYI.  I hope he's still making art, but I can't seem to find anything recent. ETA: An eagle eyed blog reader found him under J. Stoner Blackwell.) Take a peek:

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From the artemorbida website:

By embroidering and stitching onto such items as plastic bags (known as ‘Never Uses’) and oven mitts, Blackwell transforms commonplace objects into visionary sculptures.

Josh Blackwell (b. 1977) lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.  Trained as a painter, Blackwell has been collecting discarded plastic bags since the mid-2000s, to use them as ‘substrate’ for his combinations of colorful wool yarn, silk thread, and patterned cloth.  Blackwell intervenes into the form of the plastic bag- a globally ubiquitous symbol, to create gorgeous, geometrically abstract compositions that intermix color, texture, and pattern.  Blackwell’s artworks address contemporary themes as environmentalism, excess, utility, and (re)use with a fresh and playful sense of experimentation.

“Thinking about the idea of consumer responsibility led me to begin collecting plastic bags from kitchen cupboards and city streets six years ago. What began as an exercise in environmental conservation evolved into a studio practice combining aspects of painting, sculpture, and installation.

Here are some more gorgeous examples:

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Anyone else feel a great desire to start embroidering some plastic bags?!

Thanks for stopping by!

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

Based outside of Boston, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer is a painter, printmaker, and collage artist who constructs vibrant compositions. Her artwork investigates the interplay of identity and perception, inviting viewers to take a longer look. Julie works in layers, both physically and metaphorically, exploring what is visible and what is concealed. Passionate about connecting with and inspiring other artists, she shares her expertise through in-person workshops and her online classroom at MyArtPractice.com. Julie's achievements include high-profile clients, multiple publications - including her book, “Carve Stamp Play” - and exhibits in New York City and throughout Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Brown University.

42 thoughts on “Art Crush: Josh Blackwell’s Plastic Bags

  • Natalya Khorover does amazing stitching on single use plastic. On IG artbynatalya

    Reply
  • Natalya Khorover does amazing stitching on single use plastic. On IG artbynatalya

    Reply
  • Natalya Khorover does amazing stitching on single use plastic. On IG artbynatalya

    Reply
  • Natalya Khorover does amazing stitching on single use plastic. On IG artbynatalya

    Reply
  • Natalya Khorover does amazing stitching on single use plastic. On IG artbynatalya

    Reply
  • Natalya Khorover does amazing stitching on single use plastic. On IG artbynatalya

    Reply
  • Natalya Khorover does amazing stitching on single use plastic. On IG artbynatalya

    Reply
  • I’ve been saving plastic bags… perhaps now I know why.

    Reply
  • I’ve been saving plastic bags… perhaps now I know why.

    Reply
  • I’ve been saving plastic bags… perhaps now I know why.

    Reply
  • I’ve been saving plastic bags… perhaps now I know why.

    Reply
  • I’ve been saving plastic bags… perhaps now I know why.

    Reply
  • I’ve been saving plastic bags… perhaps now I know why.

    Reply
  • I’ve been saving plastic bags… perhaps now I know why.

    Reply
  • Thanks for sharing about Josh Blackwell – great job.
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    Reply
  • Thanks for sharing about Josh Blackwell – great job.
    Perumahan Cirebon

    Reply
  • Thanks for sharing about Josh Blackwell – great job.
    Perumahan Cirebon

    Reply
  • Thanks for sharing about Josh Blackwell – great job.
    Perumahan Cirebon

    Reply
  • Thanks for sharing about Josh Blackwell – great job.
    Perumahan Cirebon

    Reply
  • Thanks for sharing about Josh Blackwell – great job.
    Perumahan Cirebon

    Reply
  • Thanks for sharing about Josh Blackwell – great job.
    Perumahan Cirebon

    Reply

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