For Hannah: Wangechi Mutu and Hayley Tompkins

Wangechi Mutu

Check out the work of Wangechi Mutu.  She makes multimedia images using paint, collage from magazines, grass, flowers, ink, and much more.  The resulting images aren't necessarily related to the concepts that you want to put into your work, but she may give you some more ideas of possible nontraditional materials to use in your own work.

Here's a video about Wangechi Mutu I found online:

Hayley Tompkins

Hayley Tompkins will paint on anything--and I mean ANYTHING!  Look at the paintings below.  For the most part she's using traditional acrylic paint and ink, but look at what she's using for her surfaces!  A spoon, a knife, a hammer, junk fished out of a dumpster, and even CELL PHONES!  Check her out and see what ideas you might glean from her approach.