Junk Mail Art (Cornish art from old magazines)

Junk Mail Art offers beautiful and unique art collage prints and greetings cards, featuring places in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. A lovely way to pretty up a wall, or send a card to someone you love. Custom commissions are welcomed.

And although FSC-certified paper means it has not come from rainforests, it still means growing fast-growing plantations of young trees (usually with pesticides) on land that could be used for old-growth slow-growing trees, that support birds and native wildlife.

Although old newspapers can be ripped up and placed in compost bins, magazines need to go in recycling bins, due to inks that would not break down.

Creating art should not about going to Hobbycraft and buying lots of tat, in order to make something nice. Real creativity is about turning found items or thrift shop finds into something new. If you’re feeling creative, here are some lovely inspiring ideas. Whether you do this for a hobby or create a cottage industry!

If making your own junk art:

• Don’t remove sand, pebbles, shells or driftwood from beaches (these prevent coastal erosion, the latter two often home to tiny marine creatures). Don’t remove fallen leaves either, they are likely home to tiny insects.
• Be sure raw materials are free from lead paint, old pallets free from rusty nails etc. Also keep glue away from children and pets. For plant pots, read of toxic plants to avoid near pets and avoid displaying indoor plants to gardens, to stop birds flying into windows.
• Also leave items like wildlife homes to the experts (for instance, never use upcycled tin or bright colours to make birdhouses, these can overheat and attract predators).