AN INTERVIEW WITH RECYCLED-BASED ARTIST TAMMY ROY
Designer Tammy Roy of One Eighty Design, makes home decor pieces that are created in part, or entirely of reclaimed steel. These items celebrate a raw, eco-inspired look and are as tactile and beautiful as they are strong and unique - reflecting the spirit of the maker. I recently had the chance to interview Tammy and discover how and why she does what she does.
Bryan: Can you talk about how One Eighty began and what got you started?
Tammy: Like many things in life, my work has evolved through the need to find a creative outlet. My background is formally graphic design, but I’ve always had an interest in creating things with my hands. The idea of using reclaimed materials, and various metals really began with a few trips with my mom to the scrapyard. She is the most creative person I know, and while her creativity was somewhat stifled while running a repair shop and other small businesses with my dad for years – upon their retirement, she embraced her love for creating unusual garden art on the premise of using “junk”. Initially, my dad also appeased her with these over sized garden arbors and birdhouses – he would weld as she laid out the designs. Finally she took over the welding, mostly because my dad really thought these little creations were a complete waste of time! He was definitely proven wrong as more and more people took an interest in her work.
While her work was intriguing to me, I was more intrigued with creating smaller items – geared for interior, and also something that could ship easily. While on our “shopping” excursions to the scrapyard and local machinery shops and other business where steel was their primary material –specifically their dumpsters, she would gather pieces like tractor parts and drive shaft, and even discarded tools (which spoke to her farm girl upbringing), while I was more drawn to laser punch out pieces – like circles and squares. There’s something about using a mass of repeating shape that appeals to me. I really just started playing around in the shop, I think the first thing I created was a bowl made out of washers. The welds were horrible and inconsistent, often burning right through the metal, and I’d spend a ton of time grinding them smooth. My dad really helped me learn the technique of welding and with much more practice, I’ve improved greatly!
As my inventory of scrap metal grew, I started creating bowls and wall art from them. I started out with 5 or 6 things that I could re-create with the steel I was finding, and my line continued and continues to grow.
Bryan: What sets you apart from what others are doing?
Tammy: I think there is huge appeal for an object that was created from something that initially was intended to be something else. I think it’s amazing to see artists emerge and find a niche of using reclaimed materials in their work. For me, the challenge is finding the materials that eventually become a bowl or wall sconce. It’s also a challenge to find enough of the same material that allow me to recreate the pieces of my collection.
Bryan: What are some of the things that inspire your unique creations?
Tammy: I’m constantly inspired by the desire to take a found object and make something interesting from it. Truly the inspiration comes from the materials I come across. It’s very rewarding creating something that’s very chic from materials literally plucked from the dumpster.
Bryan: How do you go about the actual process of developing new products?
Tammy: I think I covered some of this above, but I usually go “shopping” or on a material collecting excursion about once a month. Usually I end up at the scrap yard in search of twisted rebar or crushed pieces which make great basket handles or interesting wall pieces when it’s combined with other materials. I also make my rounds to local business – there’s a trailer manufacturing company that I work with, also a steel-toe boot company where the picking is great! Other sources include machining shops and various fabricating facilities – places where their scrap pieces consist of punch outs or “drops”. I’m always on the search for new shapes or scrap materials that might make something interesting or unusual. Once my inventory is restocked, I do a lot of trial and error in the shop. Once I come up with a winning piece, I add it as part of the permanent collection. There are also a lot of pieces that I create which end up being one of a kind and are snapped up by some of the boutique owners I work with.
Bryan: What’s next on the horizon for One Eighty?
Tammy: There are a few pieces that I’m in the process of developing. One being a very large – over sized bowl, and another being a series of thin, long wall art pieces. I came across some really interesting small drops that when welded together, look like pebbles or river rock. Since I’m also very new at all of this, I’m looking for ways to expand and reach new customers. pm
::Purchase Tammy's home accents in the PrairieMod Store
Images copyright One Eighty Design
Bryan Kelly is a co-founder and contributor to PrairieMod. He lives in a super cool 1970's ranch in West Suburban Chicago. You can email him at bryan@prairiemod.com
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