Fraser Macdonald

Construction Manual Preview!

2010-07-15T23:08:00.002+01:00

Get along to the Final Gathering at DCA this Sat 17th July and your in for more of this! This is a wee not so sneak preview (we're well aware of posting it on the internet) of Garbologists Construction Manual! It has pages and pages to keep you busy building things you will never need, or want! Along with this, we will laden you down with so much company tat you'll be finding things to throw out (and recycle!) for years to come! Get along! You wont/will* be dissapointed! The other 8 projects have some great stuff to keep you entertained throughout the day, from hair cutting, pub touring and dress-making!

* Garbologists take no responsibility for the production of our company keyrings, although we do indulge in 'rudimentary' quality, they are of a particularly poor standard!

Bin Motors Gone By!

2010-07-15T22:58:00.003+01:00

Or 'Dustcarts', as the American Garbologists would have ye believe! Out on the beat, people often note how easy it is now for Garbologists to empty bins in relation to having to 'kowp' the metal cylinder beasts into the back o the 'dustcart' in grander days. It isn't any easier, as beat routes continually increase with the expansion of towns in the area, and thus, many more shiny new 240's ripe for the filling! In Figure 'A', two cavalier loaders completely disregard Safe Systems Of Work and hoist a fully laden bin high above their head an into the back end. Sore shoulders lads? Dont come running to the Health & Saftey Officer!

Made it to SNH Magazine Summer Issue!

2010-07-15T22:53:00.003+01:00

A proud pair of Garbologists after making an appearance in everyones favourite Scottish Heritage Related Publication - Scottish Natural Heritage Magazine! We hosted an event for National Biodiversity Day last month, in planting new compost beds which are now bearing some fine Courgettes outside! Inside, they are not doing so well, the rising heat inside HQ has recently put paid to the growth of the one last hope in the indoor trays, the late, hardy, Basil. Take a moment....

Bin Motor Art Gallery!

2010-07-14T10:00:00.002+01:00

The ultimate exposure for an artwork - exhibited on the side of a bin motor travelling to every nook and cranny of the local region! This happened back in 2006, but time is no marker on the relevance of post on Garbologists blog! Local councillor said "pairing waste collection with art is an innovative way of getting it into the public domain". But what if the bin men are the artists? - then the artwork is being made on the streets through the working day!

High-Brow Find of the Fortnight!

2010-07-13T11:59:00.002+01:00

The good people of Invergowrie presented a plethora of fine publications to whittle away the piece-time after litter picking the parks of Invergowrie last month. Top o the pile were 2 Viz's, 3 Motor Bike Magazines, and a recent copy of the Dundee Courier. On the street sweeping motor you can keep abreast of current affairs nae bother with out on the beat finds! unfortunately, the dates on most publications meen you information will usually be 3 years oot o date!

Final Gathering Immenent - Logos on Everything!

2010-07-12T23:57:00.002+01:00

Thanks to Lorne Gill of SNH for this image showing the shameless branding employed by the Garbologists to promote all commodities within their possession! Here, assistant artist Neil Nodzak helps hold the one and only Garbologist stencil (youve held up well lad, if a little limp from 100's of sprays by now) as it is sprayed on the side of our vegetable boxes. In the background, the Ford Fiesta still remians crashed and firmly lodged in the brae behind HQ. The can of spraypaint is of course 100% harmless to the environment (sic).

'Waste' Of Time Staying In That 'Rubbish' Hotel

2010-07-07T16:04:00.002+01:00

But wait, a supermodel, in a hotel made out of rubbish? This must be staged? Indeed it is, but the message from the hotel is very serious. This hotel in Rome has been fashioned from debris scattered across beaches in Italy to highlight problems they have with increasing numbers of beach-tat, ice lolly wrappers and warm, sand filled cheese sandwiches left around on the beaches. In Scotland, beaches have similar problems in parts, but are rarely seen due to the 4-minute window of summertime offered by the MET to most of those dwelling north of Hadrians dyke!

Skye-ving on Skye!

2010-07-07T15:57:00.002+01:00

Extended piece-time in the co-op in Broadford, Isle of Skye. The yellow bin motor in the western highlands makes for a tough spot to find for a wee kip in the early afternoon, and right in the middle of the busiest car park in toon isnae it! Interested in finding out how many bin motors operate on Skye/The Outer Hebrides? May well pursue this interest and have stuff posted about it in the near future! Recycling pays no heed to the barriers of ferry crossing, the lord himself would be proud of the plastic reyccling quota from Harris and Lewis im sure, if an RBS van can get across, Im sure 7 and a half tonner bin motor can also!

Union Tat Round 1!

2010-06-20T18:44:00.003+01:00

An example of the rewards you would reap if you attended NINE TRADES OF DUNDEE: FINAL GATHERING on the 17th July. Synonymous with opening bank accounts or getting to the semi final of a short tennis tournament in younger years, this furry wee beast has been adapted as the mascot to the Garbologists! Any company related paraphernalia may find its way into our display at the final gathering, come along and fill your pockets!

Magic Tree & Magic Forest!

2010-06-10T10:30:00.004+01:00

The bin motors may change, the crew on each of the motors may change, but one thing remains constant....Magic Tree! This wee belter keeps the cab in the motor smelling pretty clever as it fills with tonnes and tonnes of fragrant waste. There's an art exhibition on in Dundee just now called 'Magic Forest', by Kimberley Bright. It has loads of the trusty trees hanging from a rear view mirror! Good luck getting close to it, it smells like twenty taxis (quite strong). Its at Gallery, A New Contemporary Space. Details can be found at www.galleryanewcontemporaryspace.com

Not Entirley Practical!

2010-06-10T10:07:00.002+01:00

You'd get a fair amount of rubbish falling through the holes in this grand spectacle! Its a truck made by artist Wim Delvoye, and I'm sure is used purely for ornamental reasons! Its made by laser cutting patterns in wood to get the intricate patterns. Reckon if all the bin motors looked like this it'd be a like a ghost fleet of lorries from Victorian times!

Load o' Rubbish!

2010-05-26T21:13:00.002+01:00

A full load or rubbish at that! and in the back end of the street sweeping motor! All your favourite products can be found in this filthy chamber of needless packaging. Products range from beer cans, mattresses, Tamagochis, grape stems and half-completed sticker albums. You name it, it'll have found its way in here at some point!

The TEG Shed - The Business End of Green Waste Recycling!

2010-05-26T21:06:00.002+01:00

This machine crunches up bits of old gardens and sieves it into finer batches, which is used as compost and in part, given back to the public for free at Friarton Depot Public Recycling Centre - the home of Garbologist HQ! It really is the business end of green waste recycling, literally thousands of bins worth of waste ends up in here at Binn Farm, Glenfarg. Its amazig to see the process of recycling through so may stages!

Weighing in the Green Waste Motor!

2010-05-26T21:00:00.002+01:00

This document shows the weight of the green waste motor PD 12 as its weighed up at Binn Farm, Glenfarg, before being tipped in the 'teg' shed, recycled and then given back to the land! The reading on the first tip today was roughly 11 tonnes, which saw the days tally reach just shy of 20 once the second load was on. Theres only a certain amount of chrysanthenums the motor can take at one time!

Up Yer Game, Alan Titchmarsh!

2010-05-26T20:53:00.003+01:00

The aptly named 'Rocket' does exactly that out of Garbologist HQ vegetable boxes! Closely followed is Cucumber, who is showing potential in the outdoor boxes, also outdoor, Basil shows initial strength alongside Chives and Thyme. For now though, still eating pop tarts and irn bru bars until the plants are ripe to reap!

Controls in the Street Sweeping Motor!

2010-05-17T22:36:00.002+01:00

The layout of various components in the street sweeping motor. Note the symmetry, storage options and 'championing the local radio station' Perth FM on the selection, blasting out all sorts of obscure records and local tattle over the P&K districts airwaves!

Find of the Fortnight?

2010-05-17T22:31:00.002+01:00

Find of the Fortnight or Foliage of the Fortnight? or both? Ozzy from PD 2 spotted this up on the Kinnoull beat last week, a rare double blossom of white and pink blossom on the same tree! Here, he happily points the 'Find' out, framed nicely on the side with a 240 litre wheelie bin full of DMR (Dry Mixed Recycling) ready to be tipped into the motor and recycled down Friarton Depot!

PD 2: Just For You!

2010-05-17T22:23:00.003+01:00

A solid motto for a solid crew! The PD 2 crew pose for a 'mean business' photo on front of the motor on the Kinnoull and Gannochy beat last Thursday. Artie, Ozzy and Martin are sure to feature as PD Poster-Boys on Garbologist Newsletter Issue 3, due early June. Keep your eyes peeled, although not in newsagents or similar retail outlets.

Garbologists Event: Scottish Biodiversity Week!

2010-05-13T17:00:00.002+01:00

The SNH kindly suggested we host an event for Biodiversity week, which is beginning 15th May. We will be on site on Monday 17th from 9-5, and will be available to discuss how art can exist in the working environment of bin men and street sweepers, and our general activities. On Monday we will be re-planting our (slightly) failed attempt at vegetable gardening! Come for a visit if youre dumping stuff at Perth Recycling Centre on Monday!

Not Acquired on Expenses!

2010-05-12T20:59:00.003+01:00

No sir, no dodgy politicians up at Garbologist HQ claiming duck pond mini-mansions or such the like, just a delighted skip site worker in the shape of Tom with his new bird table! Cheers to Tom for all the seeds he has donated to be planted in the garden area and window boxes at HQ, this bird box was a wee gesture built today to return the favour! Funnily enough, it was built from wood Tom had rescued and donated to HQ anyway! Here he is holding it high like a certain world cup trophy, which, alas, will pass by the hawnds of the not-s0-mighty-at-the-moment Scots once again.

A 'Hive' (or bike) of Activity

2010-05-12T20:27:00.004+01:00

Confirmed! Wasps have breached the hull of Garbologist HQ. There's been a fair bit of buzzing about in the shed lately, and when work was being done in the on building a bird hut today, this wee beast fell off the underside of the workbench! After being disposed of, the wee buggers kept coming back in their numbers, forcing all actions to be performed in the yard outside HQ. Its only a matter of time before some hapless Garbologist meets a stingy end while working tirelessly to fuse art and recyling!

Updates on YouTube!

2010-04-29T19:46:00.002+01:00

New films on youtube to get yer peepers into! Still more to come and fair amount of footage currently being trawled through at Headquarters! This screenshot is of the 'Weighbridge and Transfer Station' epic, featuring an 'inside the motor' tour of driving off the weighbridge, round Friarton Depot, in to tip the waste in the transfer station and back out on the beat! Oscar winning performance from the PD3 motor!

The Boxing Bin Man!

2010-04-27T23:16:00.003+01:00

As if the pub didnt harbour enough entertainment already, this rare sporting champ popped up for a bout on sky sports in his hi-viz shorts last weekend, supported by a merry band of equally visible supporters! Yes, Rendall Munroe is The Boxing Bin Man! He's got it emblazoned on his shorts, and romped to victory, helped in no small part by the fitness gained out on the beat. Good luck for future bouts Rendall, we'll keep our eye out in the sports pages for you here at the Garbologists!

Garbologist Newsletter at Zine Showcase in Glasgow!

2010-04-20T15:38:00.002+01:00

Yes indeed, the Garbologists Issue 1 Artists Union Newsletter was featured recently in a showcase of artists books and zines, and of course union newsletters! It came complete with a (laminated) complement slip and business card in an A4 brown envelope, and was of course given away fro free! The showcase was organised by NOW NOW PROJECTS, who are very active in hosting fun art related events in Scotland and beyond. To find out more about them visit

http://nownowprojects.wordpress.com/

As you may have noticed our Newsletter is subtly circled in yellow to keep your eyes from having to work too hard to find it!

Suggestion From The Lads At Michelin?

2010-04-15T19:51:00.006+01:00

Chris Dyson - a Nine Trades artist (see his blog for more info about his project) staged an amazing drive-in movie event at the Michelin factory in Dundee on Saturday night! It was incredible seeing about 50 cars, each tuned in to their car radios to hear the sound, watching Grease, which was projected on the side of a white Lorry! Saw this on the side of the bin motor today, and thought it may well be the thoughts of the Michelin workers for an event every month!

Enduring Image!

2010-04-15T19:34:00.003+01:00

Love this picture of Andy Irons (who's a loader on PD3 and big fitba fan!) waiting for a 240 Litre General Waste Wheelie Bin to empty and return to the ground to be replaced safely and emptied by the side of the road! This is at about 8AM this morning (15th April) on a back road near Stanley. Keep your eyes peeled for more posts about PD 3!

Vandalised Again! We Shall Resolve!

2010-04-15T19:24:00.004+01:00

Yes indeed, some wee scamps of the night panned in another window, and cheers to Tom at the skip site for fixing it when I was on the motors! They had a wee poke about HQ but nothing major was disturbed (although the filing system was skee-whiff). Lucky I've got a sign above our indoor sign in HQ to remind us that all is well, and 'HERE'S FINE'.

Find Of The Fortnight Definite!

2010-04-15T19:12:00.002+01:00

Sealed the deal. Cheers to Andy and Tom at the skip site for this little beauty! Arriving at the shed after 'the shift' to discover some warmth making devices was a cracking end to a cracking day! three canisters in total and all the shards of wood you could ever want to set alight around HQ. K-wality!

Titschmarsh Would Have A Field Day!

2010-04-15T19:03:00.002+01:00

After a hefty shift on PD 3 today there was just enough time to get up to Headquarters and begin/finish work on the Garbologists vegetable garden! Its basically a box, some seriously reeking free compost from the skip site (courtesy of the equally reeking TEG Shed at Binn Farm, Glenfarg) and some seeds. The seeds are as follows, dont expect to see them sprouting anytime soon! Rocket, Spinach, Lettuce, General Mixed Salad.

Brings A Tear!

2010-04-14T22:24:00.002+01:00

YouTube is brilliant! Whittle away all your hours with some shredding action, in this instance sadly, the honourable 240 litre wheelie bin! Nice rotation on the shredder though, a well oiled machine like that deserves to claim any item it encounters!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bsOwNCEHPQ

And So Should You!

2010-04-14T21:57:00.002+01:00

This came free with the Viz a few months ago, as even the most high brow publications begin to wage war on 'Plakky Bags'! You can cut it out and use it to carry anything! Examples of things to carry are a packet of fags, a rolled up junior football round-up section of The Evening Telegraph, or some seeds to plant in Garbologist HQs new vegetable garden! (recommended!)

Even Bono has jumped on board to endorse this free product, and he HATES publicity!

Warmest Day Yet!

2010-04-14T16:06:00.002+01:00

April 12th 2010: Officially the warmest day yet at Garbologist Headquarters! Its a rare sight to see shadows cast across the side of HQ, and as the weather keeps improving, we keep expanding our premises having recently acquired - through means of no monetary transactions - a racer bike, 3 big crates and a roll of bitumen roofing. Look out for our vegetable garden sprouting any time soon on the sunny side (east) of HQ. Fingers crossed in a months time there will be spinach, lettuce, chives, spring onions and various salad components ripe for the picking!

Cha-Ching!

2010-03-29T21:42:00.003+01:00

The level of decadence is astounding at the skip site with "the things folks throw out", but this Monopoly fiver cast amongst the swine at the rear of Garbologist Headquarters takes it to whole new levels. Not sure who wouldve been playing there, but there are two chairs in the bike shelter the noo so perhaps some night time visitors took time out from raking the General Waste Skip to sit down to a wee bit of buying and selling on Bond Street. Incidentally, American comedian Steven Wright has a joke about Monopoly, its reasonably obvious..........
........"I think its wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly".

1st Wasp of Spring?

2010-03-29T21:38:00.002+01:00

Along with youths and the weather, Garbologist HQ is now being targeted by something else! WASPS! We didn't think they existed at this time of year, but the Hi-Viz vests were only made about a month ago so we did 'the math' and realised that the wee bugger must have targeted us specifically, in what may well be the first wasp attack of the decade? Don't be spilling any fizzy juice about your person while wearing yellow in the near future mind!

Garbage Artwork!

2010-03-22T14:42:00.002Z

There was an exhibition on in London by Michael Landy called ART BIN where people were invited to throw out a bit of art into the bin which would then be destroyed! It finished last weekend, but the Garbologists wasted no time in applying to 'safely dispose' of a copy of our 1st Newsletter. Sadly, we received no reply, but it just means one more lucky recepient from our limited print run! We reckoned that by putting in a copy of our newsletter we'd be 'Recycling' (haw haw) the very context of our existence as an art movement and union! Opportunity missed Landy!

Recycling Doon Dundeh Riverside!

2010-03-22T14:09:00.002Z

The Garbologists were out on a field trip recently to Riverside Recycling Depot as part of Kill Your Timid Notion experimental music festival in Dundee. We were led on an interesting tour of the site by Peter Goldie as part of artist Jarrod Fowler's investigation into recycling. It was great to see the site location - on the Invergowrie corner of the Silvery Tay - and to hear more about realistic possibilities for green waste recycling and waste reduction. As ever, find out more from the film on the Garbologists YouTube site!

Crieff Landfill Site Check!

2010-03-22T14:02:00.002Z

The pictures here show Alan Rigby of P&K Council and the Garbologists checking a covered landfill site for gases. The process depicted is water being pumped from the landfill (up to 30metres underground!) to be tested for various gases and chemicals. There are many old landfill sites like this around the country, and are almost impossible to detect, apart from the wooden marker posts and pipes leading to test sites. To find out more check out the Garbologists YouTube site and watch the film about Alan, its got some fascinating stuff about the testing methods!

Recycling On The Silver Screen!

2010-03-11T18:00:00.002Z

Went to see Micmacs earlier on, its a wild French film about getting one up on arms dealers. It features loads of madcap inventions made from skip finds and the place where the vigilante recyclers bide (pictured left) is made out of stuff dumped in the Scrappies yard, and is far more homely than Garbologist HQ! Its on at DCA in Dundee till 18th March! Head along!

PD Profanities!

2010-03-10T22:18:00.004Z

Some high-brow reading on PD 12 motor today! I had an old copy of the Viz in my piece bag today out on the beat in Aberfeldy, and loader Alan Wilson couldn't believe it was still getting published! He used to read it years ago, and is pictured here getting tucked into Roger's Profanosaurus!

Rubbish Laughs!

2010-03-10T22:07:00.004Z

I'm currently watching 'Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience' on Big British Castle 2. Comedian Gilbert has donned his Hi-Viz and is tackling the day job of a Scaffie in Wales. A 6am start and so far he's rolling out some decent funnies while walking on a litter-picking beat along the seafront. Check it out on iplayer while you can and see how he gets on!

Ye Tube!

2010-03-08T22:36:00.003Z

The Garbologists have their own YouTube channel! It features short films made about the jobs being done from Friarton Depot and other wee films relating to the project. Don't expect to find any hilarious 10-minute long home videos of cats in silly jumpers looking at their owners through magnifying glasses here though, this is pure recycling and art on film! Pity the Oscars were last night, reckon the 3 second Cherry-Picker film would have swept up Best Picture nae bother!

www.youtube.com/garbologists

Make Your Own Waterproof Business Card Holder!

2010-03-03T13:42:00.002Z

Piece together a bit of old fencing from the wood skip, a 'found' hinge cast amongst the swine in the metal dump, a spare bit of waterproof roofing felt from HQ build and an empty screw box and you'll get a slightly waterproof, not very secure yet 100% recycled outdoor business card holder! Most people keep theirs in their wallets I reckon, or an 80's style Rolodex. We can only aspire to such things. Eyes peeled for the holder in situ down Friarton Depot!

Is it Narnia?

2010-02-24T14:09:00.003Z

Far from it, its Garbologist HQ this very morning. No camp dancing fawns to be had here, just wet screws, smashed bits of broken wood, and freezing, damp gloves. The sides a bit of a state just now as we await the return of the 14th century Raleigh Racer with 4-decades out of production tyres on it before the bike shelter gets a wee tidy.

V&A Design:Dundee Peh

2010-02-23T17:25:00.007Z

Opposite are pages from the Garbologists proposal to design the V&A Museum in Dundee. The Dundee Peh will float on the Silvery Tay on a foil peh dish and visitors will enter through a bite in the Peh!

Aye, Right!

2010-02-22T23:10:00.002Z

We'd hazard a guess here at Garbologist Headquarters that an auxiliary road between Errol and St Madoes isn't exactly a "SAFE PLACE"! Pity the empty handed would-be recipient of this parcel. Lets just hope it wasn't anything serious, like the new edition of Garbologist Newsletter. Or the Viz.

Peacock 'mongst the ruins!

2010-02-22T23:01:00.002Z

Check out this grand looking fowl parking its royal blue derriere calmly between four traffic cones! Reckon it must have escaped from Scone Palace gardens and fancied a swift half in the afternoon.

Cheers to Ange for the picture, check out her blog on Youth, Care & Inclusion, it's a belter!

Arty Bins!

2010-02-22T22:56:00.002Z

Swing by Generator Projects artist-run gallery in Dundee in the next month and see these 24o litre wheelie bins dominating the smaller gallery space. They were used as part of a performance by Edinburgh based artist Derek Sutherland, and form part of a riot scene. The exhibition is called DROMOS, and features a cracking monologue performance beginning underneath a Nissan Bluebird car by Welsh artists Bedwyr Williams.

Fresh N' Clean

2010-02-20T23:12:00.002Z

Evidence of re-arrangement of the office space, with a couple of new document holders - courtesy of a cheerios packet and a bran flakes box- flanking the Tonka on the all new, and even more rickety than the palette table, shelving unit. The Garbologists keep a deft balance of business & camaraderie and maintain high standards of human resource management and productivity in the workplace.

HQ Graffiti

2010-02-20T22:58:00.004Z

Bit of desk scoring graffiti penmanship in Garbologist HQ:
Graffiti: discouraged at school, encouraged at Garbologist Headquarters.

Boxes of Teleboxes!

2010-02-20T22:40:00.004Z

Recycling goes well beyond filling your paper wheelie bin with dusty old comics and Littlewoods catalogues. When you dump an old TV, its gets picked up (demonstrated here by driver Steven Carrol) by forklift onto crates & shipped on the motor to a specialist recycling centre, where it then is sperated into its various components and recycled along with all your other unwanted electrical appliances. The Garbologists undertake all sorts of recyling tasks, keep your peepers peeled for upcomig posts about landfill sites!

Garbologist Newsletter Issue 1

2010-02-13T23:37:00.005Z

A first draft proof of our first newsletter. Four pages of incisive journalism and pictures exclusively covering the activities of the Garbologists.

Key Features:
"Modern Rubbish Is Art" & "Find Of The Fortnight"

"You Got Wires, Going In, You Got Wires, Going Somewhere Else Aswell"

2010-02-07T20:32:00.003Z

This here image could easily be mistaken for the cover of Athletes seminal single 'Wires' (although the real thing features less wire-based appliances) Wires peaked at No4 in the UK Singles Chart, perhaps if they had more appliances in their cover, it could have trumped the Sugababes, Pato Banton featuring UB40, or Seans Paul to No1 spot?

Image: Enormous pile of electricals (unwanted novelty christmas toasters) awaiting recycling down Friarton Bridge Recycling Park)

Game On!

2010-02-03T12:49:00.004Z

Skipped items for goalposts! Apologies for conjuring nothing to rhyme with 'jumpers' but 'dumpers' would have been, though fitting with the actions of recycling vehicles, too visual an image for a blog accessible before the watershed.

The things people throw out eh? A Size 5, slightly deflated but ripe for a game of barry (not the name, but punting it off the crossbar alternately with a willing sports-fan on the other side) Premiership issue Nike Football. It was hard to tell if it was frozen rusty water it was in or pure, undistilled, bona-fide slimy skip juice?! Either way, the footies still there.

IN CASE OF FIRE- Sign In Situ

2010-02-03T11:20:00.002Z

Just to clarify the location of Fire Evacuation sign- next to exit/entrance door above the shelves- in case you ended up lost within the abundant square meter-age of HQ.

Garbologists HQ ups its Health & Safety!

2010-02-03T10:34:00.005Z

Its officially now completely safe to come into Garbologist Headquarters wielding a match, fag, Roman torch or similarly hot device*, as we now have an airtight evacuation plan. In the nature of recycling, the sign was made with a discarded NO SMOKING sticker, a 'borrowed' pen and a length of sleeve from an old Hi-Viz vest. The images on your left are the 'Haynes Manual' of Garbologist instruction drawings, and should see you through the design and making of your very own 'IN CASE OF FIRE' sign.
Stay Safe.

* Such actions not condonded by the Garbologists

Copy of 1st Legislation

2010-02-02T17:03:00.002Z

The Garbologists grant full public access to Headquarters, and freedom of involvement & information regarding any of our activities. In doing so, documents will be published on our blog to ensure activity relating to legislation, contracts, correspondence etc is up for scrutiny.
Here is a copy of our 1st Legislation, which explains in brief our aims and activities as the Garbologists - a more detailed exampe will be available soon.

Any queries relating to our 1st Legislation should be emailed to ninetradesfraser@googlemail.com

Article About Artists & Jobs

2010-01-28T10:38:00.005Z

Interesting article about artists who work other jobs to fund making their art. At a reading group last night at DCA points were discussed about whether artists call themselves artists, as in many other jobs that's how people introduce themselves, a plumber, a waiter, an accountant, a lorry driver, a street sweeper, unemployed etc... first telling someone about themselves through what they do as a job.
It raises questions around whether artists make art as a hobby, or whether they deem their art making more important than their day job. The Garbologists consider recycling as art. Here's an example of 'before and after' demonstrated by Terry Powell.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/jan/24/artists-day-jobs

The Oldest Raleigh?

2010-01-27T22:46:00.003Z

After these two rare finds at Friarton Recycling Centre yesterday (and a nice blue racer, guffaw guffaw) I pondered a question..... Who is the oldest Raleigh? It was answered fairly quickly, as the years old Walter has notched up aint nothin' on the age of those two roadfaring vessels. Hes a sprite compared to those beasts, stay young Walt, you dont look a day over 442!

A Fine Example

2010-01-27T22:42:00.002Z

If everyone carried on like the Strauss family and produced a mere 1 bag of rubbish a year Garbologists would clock up a fair amount of free time to play with. And of course, the world would be in slightly better nick.

A Fine Example of "Reduse, ReUse, ReCycle"!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8483320.stm

Champions O' The Local Media

2010-01-25T21:42:00.002Z

Hold a mirror up to this and you may just be able to make out the names of two local media institutions. Although, on the street-sweeping motor today it was 8 Ace from the Viz getting devoured to the not entirely suitable mid-morning soundtrack of Radio 2 & Katie Melua. Tomorrow its the fitba scores & 2 Unlimited for sure!

Christmas Arrives A Week In Advance!

2009-12-17T23:19:00.001Z

Not every day the big lad in the red suit drops a sparkling intact Tonka beast in a skip! Everyone at Friarton must've been extra good this year so Klaus has had to do the rounds one week early, starting with this rare find! No rest for the Tonka though, seen here carting some mini-breezeblocks to the building site. On yersel' son!

Interview For Assistant Post

2009-12-16T20:21:00.001Z

Interviewing has begun for an assistant post to help with various aspects in the running of the Garbologists. As a representative of The Garbologists I visited artist Neil Nodzak to interview him last week. He works in drawing and model making, in investigating various aspects of architecture. Neil has signed a prelimenary contract more or less tying him to the post. We're excited about this probable appointement, with Neil hopefully able to assist with building work, filming, photographing, also conversing and other modes of communication. The contract stipulates the candidate must be comfortable in the dark, cold and rain, thus the apprehension on Neils face when hearing the contract read. Look forward to a healthy working relationship.

Worth A Gander

2009-12-09T22:41:00.000Z

This rickety wee beast is my personal favourite from a belter of a book...

Cabin Fever - Sheds and Shelters, Huts and Hideaways

....about hidden dens and makeshift huts. This one belongs to the children of the local Charcutier (meat smoker) ina village in Switzerland. Good luck with the health and safety son, looks like its fashioned out of 8 matches and a Frosties packet!

"Lovely Old Shed"

2009-12-09T22:31:00.000Z

This is an image of a garden shed.
It relates to a cracking yarn about Norman Taylor, an amateur photographer and more importantly, shed enthusiast, who suffers from sight loss. Norman has put on display more than 1000 pictures of his beloved garden shed. It will be on display until mid January at Royal National Institute of Blind People in Edinburgh.
He describes it fondly as a "lovely old shed". Norman, we concur.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8393485.stm

Vandalised!

2009-12-09T18:50:00.000Z

After a heady day of press coverage (16th Nov), Garbologist HQ received some more attention.........1st vandalism! Some Rogues O' The Nicht had a go at the roof and back two windows when trying to gain access to the penetrable fortress! A couple of screws and some beams across the windows have seen it secured until now at least. If any vandalism occurs, it is photographed, fixed, and the photograph and description of handi-work left outside the shed for respective assailants to add to their collection.

Press Call! Made It To The TV!

2009-12-09T18:40:00.000Z

Looking a bit "Billy Bob Thornton' in Sling Blade, I get photographed emerging from H.Q by the skip site Paparazzi. The Garbologists featured on Grampian evening news, in The Press & Journal, and most importantly, The Courier!
Cheers to the skip site workers Craig, Michael and Hugh who all acted (worked in situ) with Hollywood ease to put a bit of glamour into the production!

The press attention brought about a little more attention of a darker nature that night.....H.Q's first bout of vandalism!

3D Model Of H.Q

2009-12-09T17:46:00.000Z

This a plan that was made up to assist with the construction of the shed, using Google Sketch-Up.

- Google Sketch-Up: Free, Cheap, and Doesn't Cost Anything. Great for All Your Computer -Related Sketching Requirements.
(Garbologists do not condone promotion of any third party associates, represented companies or commercial ventures).

An Englishmans Home Is His Castle, Ah'll Tak Garbologist H.Q Any Day!

2009-12-09T17:31:00.000Z

Apologies for a delay in posting, this is due to essential work being done to complete H.Q and numerous logistical discrepancies.

The facade of Headquarters, complete with signage, welcoming palette-step, and bike-less bike shelter. If anyone's up the skip site feel free to drop by. Its pretty cold and usually dark (rectified upon suitable discovery of skipped materials), but there are now two (2) chairs, so comforts not an issue!

I'll take that off yer hands mate!

2009-11-20T16:54:00.001Z

Storms a' comin'. Scotland's struggling under the severity of November rain of which the likes have never been seen! Not being mugs at Garboligist H.Q, cladding and insulating is nearing completion. Almost covering the back of the wall are 3 old school doors, suitably chewing gummed in those hard to reach areas! Two beds have been saved from the skips and used to create a luxurious wooden office document wall (note the November light easing through the perspex and onto Table Two-Palettes, the hub of activity.

No need to wipe yer feet!

2009-11-20T16:49:00.001Z

With the spirit of recycling firmly integrated into Garbologist H.Q, yet another example of the numerous capabilities of the versatile palette. It sat with the shed shell on it in storage for weeks, presumably had many other storage-related escapades in its fruitful existence, and now is the first port of call when entering (with your steelies mind!) Garbologist H.Q.

Recycling: The possibilities are endless.

With A Minute to Spare!

2009-10-30T13:53:00.000Z

The last screw went in at 6.59pm, 28th October, completing the initial stages of Garbologist H.Q. A mere 1 minute before the site closed, it didn't look likely for a while, but we re-grouped after a lollipop piece-time (kindly offered by the top site workers, in their warm, electricity ready, metal shed with real windows) and raced on to complete it in the dying light. It'll have to be raised onto sleepers, which, at the moment are inside holding it to the ground.

"It Wilnae Last The Winter"!

2009-10-29T15:46:00.000Z

Half an hour into kit building and the sheds almost complete. The above helpful comment shared by a van driver passing through the site may have heralded an ominous truth, although the 3 hours it took to get the roof and windows in place brought the total build time to a more realistic 4 and 1/2 hours. Securing it to the ground and beginning extensions/stabilizing it starts this weekend. Opportunities for a timeshare scheme may materialize!.....

Garbologist H.Q - The Shed!

2009-10-28T21:32:00.001Z

With help from Callum on the forklift, Garbologist H.Q made its way in primitive flat-packed state from storage in Friarton Depot to the public skip site this morning (28th Oct). Here, by the buried Fiesta, will be the hub of activity for the duration of the project. Euan Taylor of Inefficient Solutions has been contracted to assist with the build.

CHINESE STREET SWEEPING

2009-10-23T14:11:00.000+01:00

Street Sweeping on Tiananmen Square with the BUCHER CityCat! The sharper eyes amongst us will notice the similarities between the CityCat and the SCARAB Minor. Though wheel location and slightly busier (16million populated) streets to contend with make for a whole different SCARAB/BUCHER experience, their mission remains shared - ensuring a spotless environmet to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike! Keep up the good work CityCat!

BIN RACING AT THE GRAMPIAN MOTORCYCLE CONVENTION!

2009-09-29T17:50:00.000+01:00

Here, The Purple Helmets, a merry band of two-wheeled stunt riding renegades, demonstrate the deft 'back end out' skidding capabilities of the commonly known 240 litre wheelie bin. If you've had your bin recently swiped in the Alford area, take solace in the fact it at least wasn't melted by liquored youths in a public play area, and instead played a part in wowing the crowds at Alford Transport Museum on a fine September afternoon.

IRN BRU KINGFISHER

2009-09-17T18:55:00.000+01:00

Artist Jethro Brice created this Kingfisher for his degree show at Glasgow School of Art in 2006. With a keen imagination he adapted the "drink of the true patriot"* into a lifelike model of the bird, and situated it on a branch by a river in Glasgow. With a keen eye for colour and a bit of spare time, you could too! How about an empty can of Vimto and a Freddo wrapper into the artist formerly known as Prince?

* overheard at an amateur football match

ANOTHER RUBBISH CAR

2009-09-17T18:45:00.000+01:00

Used in a fascinating talk by artist Thomas Hirschhorn at Dundee Contemporary Arts earlier today, this car was produced for the Bijlmer Spinoza Festival earlier this year in Amsterdam. Its made from the garbage from all sorts of food products, and is probably even less functional than the Canvertible and half Fiesta! Thomas has a solo exhibtion opening at the DCA on 19th September, where there will be new work on show. Well worth a trip.
http://www.dca.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/its-burning-everywhere.html

H.Q LOCATION!

2009-09-17T18:20:00.000+01:00

Picture the scene. By a skip site september sunset, soon-to-be Garbologist HQ sits framed by half a red Ford Fiesta, planted on the brae in the hope that it may yet sprout the necessary parts to pass its MOT. The doors are open, the shed has been photo-shopped in at an awkward angle, and the sound of recycling whistles amongst the skips. Don your Hi-Viz, The Garbologists are coming!

CANVERTIBLE

2009-09-01T11:24:00.000+01:00

The aerodynamic functions of this 'canvertible' may have taken a debilitating blow, and it may be difficult to see through the windshield or enter the vehicle, along with the constant spray of flat Mountain Dew blinding the occupants every time the window is rolled down. Yet this is a bold, if un-roadworthy, example of recycled artwork.

RECYCLED SAMBA

2009-08-16T12:38:00.000+01:00

Recycling comes in many forms: composting bits of cold toast, handing down Euro 96' t-shirts through three sets of cousins, swapping Mega-drive games with a neighbour, disposing of plastics and paper at Friarton Depot skip site (DMR- Dry Mixed Recycling), to immortalizing a neglected Adidas Samba in bronze.

This is an example of the latter.
Recycling: Do Your Bit!

SHED GRAFFITI

2009-08-07T15:08:00.000+01:00

A warm welcome.

KINNOULL HILL @ ROUGH CUT NATION!

2009-08-07T15:00:00.000+01:00

Look out for the ultra-violet Kinnoull Hill painted at the fantastic Rough Cut Nation at the Scottish Portrait Gallery from 7 - 30th August. The dominant landmark framed in the eastern view from Friarton Waste Management Depot, this is a slightly different take on the usual Perthshire postcard shots! Thoroughly recommend the show!

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/exhibition/5:368/7989

REVENGE OF THE BIN MEN!

2009-07-22T23:59:00.000+01:00

Fascinating documentary highlighting the plight of the bin man, caught in various 'inside pages of the local newspaper' debates between public and council. Although, at times, tainted with the demonstration of poor manual handling techniques! Note a certain loader Lee Millers gloveless bag handling escapades on the high street of village England.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/revenge- of-the-bin-men

CONTINENTAL WASTE DISPOSAL cont...

2009-07-17T21:10:00.000+01:00

le 'gaffer' ne verra jamais que nous s'abritons derrière cette petite citroen.

CONTINENTAL WASTE DISPOSAL

2009-07-17T21:04:00.000+01:00

la destra, i ragazzi di tempo di pezzo

POTENTIAL H.Q

2009-07-17T17:12:00.000+01:00

First skip site visit offered up this potential location for Garbologists H.Q. 5 foot square, standing just high enough to accomodate my Y-axis, and a letterbox fashioned tidily in at waist height. May have to negotiate a timeshare with a certain R.Ferguson?