When I was in grad school, I started getting really excited about 3D illustration, where you build a diorama/scene and then photograph it. Unfortunately, this also coincided with my grad school wallet draining from expensive art supplies. My solution was to start digging in the recycling (cleaner than trash) for 3D objects I could use to build my scenes. It became fun to give these discarded objects new life, and actually celebrate their purpose as the story behind the illustration itself.

Mixed media. 2012.