One fascinating project by artist Bryant Holsenbeck is called WILD Life, in which she uses trash such as recycled fabrics, pencils, wire, rubber bands and more to create all kinds of wildlife. Here is the artists description of the project from her website:
Using old garden hoses, pencils, and discarded card catalogue cards from UNC library–ticket stubs, yarn, rubber bands and whatever else I need, and I made a wild space–a jungle of my imagination. Influenced by Roseau’s paintings, but nothing like them, I want to make an unknown land out of discarded stuff. Creatures, birds, snakes butterflies, beasts will inhabited this installation. WILD life.
Not only are the pieces attractive and very artistic, but they carry a message as well about our trash and where it goes, while making us think about it and how it impacts our landscape and the wildlife that inhabits it. Additionally she shows that our discarded items can be reused and inspires us to consider what we can do to reuse and recycle more. Her animals help remind us that the wildlife is out there if we look and that we should appreciate it when we see it. I appreciate the project because of her merging worlds between us and our wild neighbors, and in a way it shows how connected we are.
You can also purchase some of her animals on her website such as deer, skunk, fox, crow and more and also some of her credit card birds and butterflies.
Further Reading::
Bryant’s art work is very creative and reminded me of a recent exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum titled Trash Menagerie — http://www.pem.org/exhibitions/113-trash_menagerie.
Thanks for that link Georgia, there are some phenomenal works on the interactive page! I think I’ll post about them later. I found them very fascinating and I really liked how so many cultures had similar ideas but came up with such uniquely creative works.