Temporary Treasures! This is a unique group art workshop, similar to a mosaic workshop except nothing is glued together! Participants donate their own recycled and surplus ‘treasure’ and together we create an artwork on a large table. It’s temporary though, so part of the workshop involves taking everything apart!

So it’s temporary art?! Yep, all that remains are photographs and the memories of the shared experience. We also create a time-lapse film and some groups like to order canvas prints of their favourite images as a keepsake.

The Treasury! All the donated items stay in the collection so there’s already a vast assortment of items that will be used again for subsequent workshops. It’s made up of people’s recycled and surplus items, as well as natural materials. We call this the ‘Treasury’ and it currently includes buttons, beads, marbles, dice, monopoly money, broken watches, costume jewellery, miniature toys, old keys, cutlery, surplus sunglasses, golf balls, compact discs, stones, shells, beach glass and chanies (old crockery shards). People really love to explore these tactile materials. It’s here that you can really see the ‘trash’ transform into ‘treasure’!

⇑ ⇑ ⇑ Planet Love…This time-lapse video shows a ‘TemporaryTreasure’ that was made by a group of social care workers under Sean’s guidance. 

Temporary Treasures Table…We’ve developed a special modular table that allows us to bring these temporary workshops on tour! It’s 8 foot long by 4 foot wide and the height can be adjusted to make it convenient for people of all ages and abilities. The donated materials are laid out in advance on our smaller tables around the edge.

So what does the process involve? A ‘Temporary Treasure’ workshop is a mindful and creative experience…Participants add their own items to the ‘Treasury’. Once they overcome their amazement at the gathered materials we begin to assemble the overall design. Repeatedly laying individual items on the table is a very simple and relaxing activity. We usually have a basic outline drawn on the table top as a rough guide but there is plenty of freedom and things evolve organically. Plus there is plenty of time to chat!

Letting go! When the agreed design is completed, we take it all apart! The disassembly is part of the process. There’s a deep poignancy in knowing it won’t last. In a world obsessed with permanence and possession, these temporary artworks remind us that nothing lasts forever. A ‘Temporary Treasures’ workshop also helps participants to let-go of attachment. We have surrounded ourselves with so much stuff that we don’t need! These workshops help us to appreciate the simple act of giving and sharing too.

⇑ ⇑ ⇑ Talamh Treasure…This ‘Temporary Treasure’ was made by members of the public during the Talamh Festival at The Art Hand studio.

Environmental Awareness; A ‘Temporary Treasures’ workshop is a great way to spark environmental debate and inspire positive change. We’ve accumulated so much stuff in our homes and need to declutter! Sometimes we can find it difficult to part with even the most basic surplus items! Our kitchen drawers are full to the brim with items we will never use. There’s a daunting collection of unwanted oddities under our beds and in our attics!

Thought Provoking; Temporary art challenges our perception and forces us to consider things differently. It makes us think about the environment and our place within it. At it’s most basic level ‘Temporary Treasure’ projects help participants to consider; ‘Why do we have so much stuff? What can we do with all this stuff? How can we recycle, reduce and reuse all this stuff?! What is the life cycle of a product? How does a circular economy work? From our experience these thoughts and conversations lead to positive and sustainable behaviour change.

But what will the design be? For one-off ‘Temporary Treasures’ workshops, we usually choose a very simple graphic layout in advance like concentric circles, a spiral or a giant love heart. For bigger projects it’s possible to create a special theme that is relevant to the occasion. So for example, we could create a word, a logo or even a portrait.