Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Terrell.
Hi Christine, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After a couple of years raising a new baby, I was ready to reclaim some creative time. I didn’t want to go back to the graphic design world and I did want to pursue some more of the metalworking I had been playing around with before we had a baby. Problem was that I couldn’t weld or blacksmith in my overstuffed suburban garage.
As so often happens, a bit of fateful magic dropped The Fine Art of the Tin Can into my hands. The book was filled with all sorts of ways people around the world were transforming the ubiquitous tin can into art and functional objects. I was transfixed.
I immediately started collecting tins on my regular thrift store forays. I broke down the first few and started to play around. Within a few weeks, I knew I had found the thing I wanted to do next.
Tin continues to fascinate me even after nearly two decades. It comes pre-loaded with an endless array of colors, patterns, imagery and typography. It’s both flexible and strong. And, most important to me, it’s a material that most folks find of no value. It’s this process of transforming a lowly material into something beautiful and valuable that inspires me to come back to my bench every day.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Any artist trying to make a living on the planet at this moment has an endless number of struggles to choose from. For me the creative side of the work has always been pretty smooth sailing. It’s being the designer, web designer, sales associate, PR manager, social media manager, fulfillment coordinator, and customer service rep that gets overwhelming.
As much as I love working for myself and by myself, there are times where the amount of work and the range of expertise necessary feels overwhelming. Fortunately having an art practice teaches you that all things are possible if you take them on bit by bit. That said, I don’t ever think I’ll figure out the PR thing!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve been transforming discarded decorative tins into art jewelry for nearly two decades. I love everything about my chosen material, but the fact that it’s upcycled is something that really speaks to my soul.
I have a deep concern about the toll our extractive, consumerist culture is taking on the planet and on our individual and collective well-being. An important part of my work is to show that beautiful, heirloom quality objects can be made directly from non-precious materials. Indeed, from things that many people consider trash.
Jewelry is ubiquitous and there is evidence that we adorned ourselves before we clothed ourselves. Given that, it seems impossible that there are any new ideas under the sun, but working with found, reclaimed raw materials allows me to create one-of-a-kind pieces that are a mix of what comes pre-loaded on the tins and whatever comes out of my crazy brain!
Pushing the material and finding new and interesting ways to use it is by far my favorite aspect of the work. People have come to expect that I will always have some new design or technique—and that there’s no telling how long it will be in the rotation. I’ve told clients for years that’s because I’m easily bored, but it’s also because I’m endlessly curious to see what I can make next.
That curiosity has led me to push beyond jewelry making into other art pieces as well. It is exciting to work at a different scale and with pieces that don’t have to be worn. I can’t wait to see where this new path will lead.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I learned many lessons of all sorts, but I think the one that showed up most clearly for me is just how important it is for each of us to have a creative practice. While so many people were struggling with fears of the unknown, I was able to call on years of facing the unknown each time I walked into my studio. The small act of starting with a proverbial ‘blank canvas’ each day builds a deep sense of safety where unknowns feel more manageable.
The pandemic broke a lot of our illusions about ourselves, our communities and our society at large. I think for many people it was the first time they saw just how unpredictable life really is, but I’ve watched my community of creatives ride out this storm with grace and even newfound hope. I think our creative practices trained us all that as scary as the unknown may feel, it’s truly the only space where possibility exists.
Even before Covid, I encouraged folks to spend more time doing something creative, but now I think it’s even more imperative for everyone to intentionally practice facing the unknown in small ways each day. It fortifies us as individuals and as a community.
Contact Info:
- Email: christineterrell@icloud.com
- Website: www.adaptivereuser.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christineterrell
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adaptivereuser
Image Credits
Christine Terrell
