Upcycle At Home with Cool Cool Planet – A project from O.N.S Art Director, Chris Tuyay

Here at O.N.S we are focusing our efforts on appreciating Earth Day this week and what better way to do it than showcasing artwork from Chris, our O.N.S Art Director. As a side project, Chris approaches making art by utilizing creative ways of upcycling objects that he finds a new life as an alternative to discarding them. Some of the items Chris has made are planters/vases made from coffee cans, foam tubing and plastic bottles and tapestry made from old t-shirts dyed green. Part of the process is sitting with the accumulated materials and finding the potential in alternative uses or unexpected combinations. We virtually sit down with Chris to talk about his work with what Earth day means to him and the message he hopes others will take away by experiencing CoolCool Planet.

What made you start making art for CoolCool Planet?

I think it all started after I moved into my new apartment. I had a bunch of cardboard from the shipping packaging from my new couch, and instead of just recycling them, I thought I’d make a table out of the cardboard. After that it made me think about what other materials in my every day would be interesting to reuse.

How do you select the accumulated materials, is it a visual or conceptual approach?

Usually, I recycle the easily recyclable items and collect materials that the NYC recycle trucks can’t take. After that, I choose to use materials depending on either how the materials fit together or if I see a potential use for it.

If you had a message to tell people through your work what would it be?  

Through my upcycling art, I hope to make people become more cognizant of their own waste and inspire them to find their own ways of giving second lives to the materials they collect. Overall, my work takes a cleaner approach and tries to elevate the materials so that they don’t feel like “trash art” and instead perhaps offer some sort of added use.

What art piece are you most proud of and why?

I particularly like the vases and planters that I’ve made, because each uses the original materials for an added functionality: adjustable height can fit different containers or the ability to arrange flowers in different ways.

Learn about CoolCool Planet – here

Follow Chris on Instagram – @stateoftheart00 #coolcoolplanet