Alice Springs residents doing a household clean-up are being asked to donate unwanted materials to Central Australia Supported Accommodation (CASA) for turning into wearable art.
CASA's Art Coordinator Simone Guascoine said the organisation's CASArt program started twelve months ago as a way of preventing isolation among the accommodation's residents and helping them to become more involved in the community's social events.
"Initially it was just a small project for the 2008 Wearable Arts competition in the Desert Festival. But once they started we couldn't stop the excitement - they've been bitten by the art bug. It's phenomenal," Ms Guascoine said.
Everything the CASArt group produces is marketable. They have already created two beanies for this year's 'Beanie Festival' and have entered their work in the 'As We Are' exhibition in Perth and numerous other exhibitions across Australia.
The residents are always on the look-out for more materials and have put together a wish list of items including:
- Buttons, old Ribbons and Bindings
- Wool
- Cottons (crochet, sewing threads)
- Beads (unwanted beaded necklaces, bracelets, earrings)
- Bubble wrap
- Old aprons
- Elastic
- Leather scraps
Ms Guascoine said everything the CASArt residents receive from donations is used in their artworks.
"We recycle all sorts of materials with everything used to create art pieces for the markets and exhibitions," she said.
Donations to the CASArt program can be dropped off at 6/5 Hartley Street, Alice Springs every weekday between 8.00am and 4.30pm.
CASArt has a stall at the Todd Mall Markets once a month and is planning to participate in the 2009 Wearable Arts competition.
Media contacts: Cameron Jackson 0401 114 113; Darrel Trueman 0401 116 203
Release date: Wednesday 24 June 2009
