Recycling Artist, Upcycled Fibre Arts, Concrete Sculptures and Original Paintings
I create art by upcycling materials, giving new purpose to old items for a brighter, sustainable future.
In my studio, every painting starts on a blank canvas and each sculpture is handmade and painted, making every piece unique. I am involved in every stage, from shaping concrete figures with moving parts to choosing fabrics for hand-sewn patches and scrunchies. When you buy from my shop, you receive art handmade with care and dedication to original design, rather than a mass-produced item.
ABOUT: Elzinga Art
My name is Kaz Elzinga and l am the creative director/ designer, painter and recycling artist, and educator here at Elzinga Art.
For those a little confused my website used to be called Artisan life in colour, however l decided to rebrand when l rebuilt my website and it is now called Elzinga Art, under my own name.
With over 30 years of creative experience and 20 in the artistic painted beach art/ocean art landscape arena in particular, it became a passion of mine not only to sell my beach art, but to boarden my material and working knowledge by completing a Bachelor of Art with double major (Fine Art and Visual Culture) back in 2013.
l continue to practice and refine my beach art processes as a professional artist and enjoy passing down my acquired knowledge to students as an art educator.
I very much enjoy painting and my art is now purchased by collectors Australia wide, and internationally. My forte lies in extra large scale acrylic paintings of abstract whimsical beach art settings and movie mash up paintings.
However that being said, over time l have branched into other areas of creation, including sculptural design utilizing concrete, metal, and paper pulp, and enjoy crossing over into fabric art, and fashion design.
I am a sustainable, resourceful, recycling artist, spending many a weekend scouring tip shops for recyclable items, such as rusted metals, craft items that go into my concrete sculptures and op shops for fabrics that go into my fabric arts. I love to reclaim furniture and homewares and turn them into really unique one of a kind item that are fully eclectic and wonderfully restored.
Elzinga Art is not all about selling art, it was born out of a desire to give back to the art community through art education. Elzinga Art's aim is to provide an educational and artistic experience where art lessons, art education, art resources, and art and craft products come together in a creative space.
Elzinga Art Design process
DESIGNING FABRIC BLANKS
The first stage of designing my fabrics, is heading out to the local op shops and looking at fabric off cuts, or fabrics people have purchased and never used. I also purchase all my wools and decorative fibres here and l find all manner of colours and designs.
From there its back to the studio to cut the fabric into varying size pieces, formulating colour combinations that look aesthetically pleasing and laying them one on top of the other going from largest to smallest.
Once the fabric is laid out, the wools, laces and/or yarns are laid on top. To complete this stage l lay a sheet of dissolvable fabric on top and pin at various points.
Then l load up the sewing machine, choose my stitch and away l go sewing for literally hours and hours, every which way to secure all the fabrics and yarns in place.
Once the fabric is stitched into place and l am satisfied all fabrics and yarns are fully secured, the piece is hand washed to dissolve the dissolvable covering fabric to reveal the finished work. It is than laid flat to dry.
I love this stage, its so rewarding to see the finished work, it takes so many hours from cutting fabrics and yarns, to designing placement, to sewing and washing/drying of the fabric piece.
From here, l decide whether to turn it into patches or leave it as a fabric blank for you to purchase and work out what you would like it to become
Fabric blanks above can be turned into cushion covers, motifs for denim jackets, sectional cutout fillers in clothing, table mats or anything else you can dream up or imagine.
After a patch is cut out of the fabric blank, it has an adhesive backing attached by ironing, then the shape is recut. This turns the fabric into an adhesive iron on patch and all you need to do it peel off the paper backing, and iron it to stick it to your fabric.
I also do variations on my patches, including a completely different alternative to these created fabric patches (right Image)
These are called Innovative and interchangeable patches, whilst still fabric patches they are completed in an entirely different method.
Innovative patches turn recycled products into patches, these can be anything from doilies, to flowers or simply fabrics. The fabrics are a mixture of small to large circles over lapped, and sewn with yarns and threads.
INTERCHANGEABLE Patches- are slightly different again, here l wanted to create something that could not only change the look of a garment, but could change its look everytime it was worn by simply removing it and replacing it with another patch.
The easiest way to do this was by adding velcro to the back. These patches are distinct from all others because they always have a button on the front.
The other feature of this patch, is it lasts much longer because it can be taken off before washing!
HAND MADE SCRUNCHIES
Another use of recycling fabrics has been to produce designer hair scrunchies. These come in sizes Med- to Jumbo, and when l say jumbo, l mean they are for people with alot of hair who enjoy a good updo that features the scrunchie as much as the hair, becuase they are huge, full and lush. Most of my scrunchies are made with a lace edge, or double lace edge making them gorgeous, feminine and pretty.
Too see a video on how l make them click the scrunchie image to the right.
I love making these, they're super fun, and l think the lace edge really brings them to a new level.
PAINTINGS
My paintings come from my imagination, generally one inspires the next and so on, so they have really migrated over the years.
I love the eclecticness of my painting style, and the maximalistic style. They are full of intricate detailing completed in paint pens after the work is fully painted using acrylic paints.
My work is painted once then etched back to give a rustic appearance, l got this idea when l was walking by the ocean and saw weathered timber boats. I thought they looked really cool, and so l wondered if l could achieve the same look with a canvas painting, so l experimented on an old work. I loved the look so much that it became a feature of every work since.
Once the work is etched back to reveal a rustic vintaged look, it is then detailed with pen work. To complete l varnish 4 times with a high gloss finish to bring the work back to a modern contemporary look.
My paintings are statement pieces meaning they are very large, the colour and intensity of my work is generally what attracts people, and many say the paintings are more impressive in person than in photographs, which l also belive to be true. Its very hard to capture the intricate detailing in pictures, and l might add a detailing process that takes just as long as it does to paint the image. One painting can take up to two months to complete, so it is quite a process.
FREIGHTING PAINTINGS
I used to mount work, but l get very nervous sending work out with couriers, even if their website says they are trained in how to ship art, the truth of seeing how they handle work from my studio suggests otherwise. I also see it as a cost saver to clients, the last painting l shipped through Pack and Send, cost the buyer $1200 to go from Qld to NSW. There was no mark up from me on that either! So, l thought if l just ship in a tube, not only is it safer against damage, its much cheaper for the buyer. It only costs around $180-$250 to mount my work, and a small price from a local framing shop to transport it to you a short distance. So, l have decided to take this route with future paintings over a certain size.
RETURNS
Whilst l have never had a return on a painting, l do offer a seven day return to offer assurance to purchasers of the quality of my work. If you don't like it, you may return, please get in contact, and ensure registration on the tube and painting to ensure its safe arrival back in order to receive your money back.
Client Reviews
SOLD - A fish Tale - "We loved the painting, it was all that we hoped it would it be."
SOLD -"Underwater Reef":- "Thank you very much! Underwater Reef is amazing! I absolutely love the details and the colours are stunning. Photos and the video didn't do it justice, the painting completely exceeded my expectations. I'm very happy with it and feel very honored that you allowed me to purchase it. Susanne (United Kingdom)
SOLD "Aussie Culture" -"I am thrilled to hear from you, I am a huge fan and adore your work. You are incredibly gifted and I would consider it an honor to own any of your artwork. Consider it sold.
Again thank you and keep creating, you are amazing" Andrea Brisbane.
Client Review
We are thrilled with our original abstract art painting, Beach Culture. Thank you so very much. I wanted to let you know it is really lovely dealing with you. Thank you for taking the time with us while we made our decision, and also a HUGE thank you for helping with delivery. The painting arrived in perfect condition. We can't get over how vibrant the colours are in real life. It is simply stunning. I loved this painting from the minute I saw it online and it is more impressive in real life. When people come to the house, they always comment on how striking the painting looks against the plain wall, then they ask where we got it and then at some point we find them standing inches away from it staring at its intricacies and marvelling at the colours and the design. Everyone loves it. You are extremely talented, and the painting we now own is beautiful, a stand out piece. Thanks again and keep creating. Andrea and family
