25/07/2026
Artwork of the Day
Credit: Sara Spencer or "Dotty in Devon"
Dorothy Duck
My inspiration for upcycling preloved ornaments started in the Channel Islands, when we lived in Alderney from 2021 until October 2025. I actually started by painting one of our own ornaments that was a 1970s Doberman dog, dark brown and boring, and rather than throw it away, I put a primer paint on it and started to dot it with spots and patterns. I showed my work to my friends on Facebook, and I had an enormous response to my work.
Old ornaments, glasses, pottery, etc was generally thrown away after being at the local charity shop or the weekly winter jumble sales in Alderney, so I wanted to save it and give it a second life. Drab to fantastic, with spotty colours. Many people bought the preloved ornaments, and I've given a number away as presents. In 3 years, I saved many preloved ducks, birds, pigs, dogs, cats, chickens and even small trinket boxes from landfill.
Here in Devon, people also love my work, and it's very popular. I now buy animals in my local large town of Okehampton, so I'm helping charities along the way.
I love painting these ornaments; it's a kind of therapy and puts a smile on the face of those who see them. Each piece is unique, and I'm happy to keep on going!
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