Brooklyn Bardot

Two years ago I was asked to teach in an MFA program. The offer was immediately rescinded when I told the college I didn’t have an MFA. Still, I started jotting down books I would teach. “Literature Chart” was a way for me to see what my favorite books were by year, and also, how decades were shaped stylistically. I just recently finished the chart in hopes that others will find it fun and helpful.  

I’ve completed 120 “week in scraps” collages since August 31st, 2011, one per week with the exception of a single collage for January 2013. The best thing about doing this is being able to give focus to the overlooked ephemera of daily life, and find new ways to treasure small things. Some weeks are boring, but it’s always honest. You can see each individually here.

Along the way I’ve been very inspired by other artists’ work. Janice Wu does gorgeous watercolor illustrations of “seemingly worthless objects.” Nicole Lavelle uses collected objects and scraps to perfectly compliment the sentimentality of her work. Jason Bartell does meticulous charcoal drawings of bands’ set lists. Kate Bingaman-Burt has drawn a daily purchase for over six years!

Photographer Devin Castro has been following this blog for a few years now, and three months ago he started posting his own week in scraps on instagram. His #myweekinscraps hashtag has taken off, and there are currently over 350 different collections! It caught me by surprise, but it’s so awesome to see these from others, especially transit tickets from other cities, which is my favorite! 

Sometimes I wonder what I am doing with my own scraps, what the point is, and why I have been saving a giant bag full of every single physical scrap. But when you see the impact that tiny bits of paper can have and the way so many people are inspired by the project, it makes the entire thing worthwhile.