Tammy Roy was raised in Stratford, WI and was surrounded by auto repair shops, a school bus company, a gas station… and the list goes on. Tammy always had a keen interest in the”nuts and bolts” of how things work, stemming from her mom’s hobby of rummaging through dumpsters and scrap yards! Instead of shopping, they enjoy rummaging through twisted and mangled steel.

Tammy’s background is graphic design but it was her first welding class (by her dad) that led her into a new direction. Welding enabled Tammy to transform discarded, scrapyard junk into works of art. She has since become completely obsessed with reusing and creating objects out of discarded materials.

Below are a few beautiful and unique items for sale by Tammy for greenlifesavor.

180-design relates to the process of transforming trash into treasure! The materials do a complete “180”. Sourcing is a huge part of the process and I work with various steel manufacturers to reuse their scraps.

My mantra: Stay centered with God, keep balance in life, and use your gifts. I consider myself fortunate to be inspired by those around me.

Hi, my name is Avory and I am heading into my sophomore year at the University of Vermont. I am very happy to be working in collaboration with the greenlifesavor project.

Most of my work comes directly from my mind, though I also enjoy portraits and people studies. Sometimes I’ll close my eyes, scribble onto a canvas, open my eyes, and go from there. It’s for me hard to generalize the art I do because I love to experiment with different styles and mediums. The most flattering compliment I’ve ever gotten about my art is when someone said that out of 100 paintings, they could always tell which one was mine.

What inspired me to make a purse out of collaged magazine clippings woven together was an old shoe box I came across one day while cleaning my room. Inside the box I kept mostly old notes and love letters, but instead of taking a trip down memory lane, I focused on the box’s exterior that I had collaged back in 7th grade. I was captivated by the vibrant colors and the way they all blended together. The cut up images looked like snapshots of color or splatters of paint.

Other purses I’ve designed are also woven, but with black and white greenlifesavor tape for a more classic look. My latest purse is a different style created from greenlifesavor tape and then hand designed by me with an elaboration on an old doodle of mine I found in the very same shoe box.

Converting ordinary, often ignored or forgotten, objects into something new and beautiful is a truly wonderful concept. It is a concept that inspires a lot of my art, from painting to purses.