Creative Reuse Book

Rockport Publishers/Quarry Books is an international publisher of high-quality visual and idea books for design professionals and creative enthusiasts—crafters, artists, and designers. (Check out our distinctive books at: www.quarrybooks.com.)

We are seeking submissions for 1000 Ideas for  Creative Reuse, an upcoming book by Garth Johnson of ExtremeCraft.com, which will feature 21st  Century craft and design, all made with recycled,  upcycled, repurposed and reused items. We are  looking for the best examples of paper and book arts, jewelry, clothing, home and personal accessories, furniture, art, and miscellanea for possible publication. We invite designers, artists, visionaries and crafters of all stripes to submit their work.

High quality photography is essential.  We are looking for photographs of the finished work, not step-by-step shots.  All images must be AT LEAST 1400x1750 pixels at 300 dpi.  There is no entry form for the book--all we need is the Grant of Rights form and an image list in Microsoft Word or PDF format.  Please upload them with your images.

Deadline:  January 5, 2009

DOWNLOAD THE CALL FOR ENTRIES

UPLOADING INSTRUCTIONS (PDF)

GRANT OF RIGHTS FORM (PDF)

GRANT OF RIGHTS FORM (MS WORD)

FAX COVER SHEET (PDF)

Comments

[Barbara Garton]

I love to recycle things into my arts and crafts. I even have a recycle page on my site to either inspire others or offer my services to recyclers. I have recycled prescription vial coin purses, blue jeans shopping bags, various clothing shopping bags, gun case curio cabinet, fish tank stand cat tower and dog sweaters made from worn out human clothes.

[Downtowner]

I'm very interested, but wondering why I should give you my best idea for a 1/2 off book? Can you comment on motivation for the submittals?

[Downtowner]

I'm very interested, but wondering why I should give you my best idea for a 1/2 off book? Can you comment on motivation for the submittals?

[Ditto +]

Downtowner has insight.

What is the purpose of this book other than just another coffee table brag rag that will consume irrational amounts of ink and paper for the symbiotic EGO-tistical interests of Garth and those participating who can then claim "I've been published!"? It certainly diminishes the ECO-tistical art and craft of re-purposing and re-using since it creates something new, useless, and unnecessary that will also result in typical publishing over-runs, excess and factory seconds.

If you want to see your name in print and share your ideas with others, just build your own web site and post all your ideas there. Then find blogs and sites you like and invite them to view your ideas. Its amazing how the web can spread your idea (and name, if people are respectful). A real DIY idea "extending it's middle finger" to this one.

The motivation and behavior to participate in this kind of exchange and bogus "call for entry" (is it a contest? a juried show? a competition?) asked for here is not far off from the sad, painful behavior of desire exploited in Warhol's "movie stars". I always thought art could teach. It's funny how many folks with MFAs don't learn the lessons. A lot of what you do may be valuable, Garth, but this is a disappointment.

[Toronto Craft Alert]

Hi! We just wanted to let you know that we've posted the call out for submissions on our site

http://torontocraftalert.blogspot.com/2008/10/vendor-call-submissions-call-out-for.html

Looking forward to seeing the end results!

[Carroll]

As a serious dumpster-diver, watching endless amounts of perfectly useable goods head to the land-fill, I am happy to help inspire others to step up to the dumpster, and fish from the waste stream for art and craft materials. If this can inspire some other artists to make the change, and think about where their materials are coming from, I am all for it.

If you want to see terrible waste in publishing, just look at the dumpsters behind any chain bookstore. It's the magazines that fill the dumpsters to overflowing, every single day. So step up and DO SOMETHING. Don't just whine.

[Cris Melo]

[Complementing what Carroll said]

And by the way, why aren't businesses required by law to recycle all of those magazines they throw away each month? I used to dumpster dive at the local Tower Records. If I went and asked the people working there to give me the mags they didn't want, they wouldn't give it to me, but later they ended up at the dumpster. It used to make me so mad.

[Jeff Fisher LogoMotives]

I'm always amazed at those questioning the motivation (like the posters above) of a request for design/art submissions for a book. It's called "marketing and self-promotion." The person compiling/authoring the book certainly isn't making any money from the sale of the book - I know from personal experience. My work now appears in over 100 books that are sold around the world - most (like this particular example) cost me nothing for possible inclusion. It's not about EGO - it's about advertising at no cost to myself. Today, the majority of potential clients coming my way initiate their introduction to me with "I was at my local bookstore and saw your work in a book..."

Exposure in such books supplements my other marketing efforts of a website, blogs, writing articles, magazine exposure, press releases, etc.

Hmmm...I guess those "extending a middle finger" to such a far from bogus call for entries will allow for others to be showcased in the resulting volume.

Good luck to those who enter!

[Garth Johnson]

Sadly, since Quarry isn't a giant publishing house, and because there will be up to ONE THOUSAND contributors for this book, Quarry can't send copies to all of the contributors. As for a motivation for submitting to a book like this....can you really not see the benefit of getting your work out there? Your name will be in the book, and your website will also be mentioned in the contributor index and the online contributor index.

I've had my work featured in around 1/2 dozen books, and when it's only a picture of my work with no tutorial or writing accompanying it, I've NEVER gotten a complimentary copy...but I have gotten invitations for shows, magazines and other books from it.

I think the best motivation of all is contributing to a book that will serve as a groundbreaking reference. I can't wait to hold 1000 pictures of dynamite repurposed and recycled projects in my hands. This book is going to be an inspirational touchstone for crafters, designers, artists and all types of creative humans.

This book will also create community. I can't wait for people who submit work to this book to get a copy and get to know others who are making amazing work. I'm already amazed by the submissions I've gotten in the first week. Share your work with the rest of us!

Garth

[Randy Hill]

I'm with Jeff Fisher on this one. What a great opportunity for an unknown artist like myself to share my work if it does get picked for this publication.

Ditto, not everyone has access to the Internet or uses it as a primary source of information. I see Garth's book as a way to inform and inspire others to take a new look at old things and be creative, as well as eco-minded. Just another point of view.

Right on, Garth! As soon as I heard the title of the book, I knew it was a book I wanted to buy. There are many craft websites in my "favorites," but I can't put them on my bookshelf for easy reference, like I could with this book and the dozens of others I have in my craft library. I certainly don't feel manipulated or conned by being given the opportunity to be included in a book that will bring me good exposure and introduce me to others who enjoy doing what I do.... Michele

[Vicki]

I would love to submit my art,but can not find the Entry form needed for each piece of art.
Thank you for any help with the issue!

[Urban Woodswalker]

Wow, I was stunned by the negativity within a few of these comments. Crafting serves different purposes for different folks--some want to SELL as number one priority. Others craft to make gifts, supplement household income, or view it as therapuetic in itself with no other end result neccessary.

Let those of us who enjoy books welcome this amazing venue to celebrate our creations. Plain and simple, everything in this world has imperfections. anything can be torn apart and viewed negatively, but I for one, thank Quarry books - I own several of your publications already :-) for giving me and my fellow creative recyclers a great opportunity.

The more "reused,repurposed, recycled" is brought to public attention, the more the message will spread and become prevalient action by society.

Thank you Quarry and Garth! Count me in♥

[Garth Johnson]

Thanks y'all! I've updated the upload instructions and this main page to let you know that there is NO ENTRY FORM for this book. All I need is the Grant of Rights form and an image list with the materials used, title, dimensions etc.

I'm blown away by the submissions I've gotten so far. The friends I've made and the great work I've seen on this project far outweighs the logistical nightmare of keeping the work of hundreds of artists straight. CRAFT HARD!

[Megan Hoffman]

This may be a silly question, but should the submission be just the end result of a project, or should it consist of a step-by-step tutorial?

[That Girl]

Thank you for the opportunity to present creativity using recyclables.

[John T Unger]

I uploaded a bunch of images and the permission forms to box.net but I'm not sure all the uploads were successful because some of the image files display thumbnail images and some do not. Permissions at box.net are set to allow upload but not download so I have no way to check if the files are okay. Can you let me know if they uploaded properly or need to be re-submitted? I sent an email about this also.

[John T Unger]

Thanks for the quick email response, Garth! Can't wait to see the book.

[Christine Farnan]

Hi, I'm very excited. When do we find out of our submission has made the "1000" cut?

I was honored to have my ticket bowl as part of the number "1000" in the call for submission page.

Many thanks for the great opportunity, I can't wait to here and see the completd book. Will you contact those included as to the availability date to purchase the book?

Happy New Year!
~Christine Farnan

[Happy Place Design]

I posted a last call on my blog!
http://tinyurl.com/creativereuse

[Becky Hawley]

I love to see what others are doing in this arena! It always gets my creative juices flowing (and gives me something else to hunt for at the nearest Habitat thrift store and trash to pick up on my walks).

Plus, I'm excited to have the opportunity to get some of my work out there as well.

Thanks!
Becky Hawley

[Bland Hoke]

Great system for uploading work, and allowing multiple submissions. Please post a schedule on your blog for notifying artists if they are included, publishing dates, timeline etc.

Thanks again!

[Dalal]

Hi,
I just knew about this site and this idea! and i don't know if iam still allowed to enter it?

thanx ..

Grrreat Book! Love the idea!!! =)
Peace,
Char