Hey Folks, here’s my photo blogging feature from RARE…the Recycled Art and Resource Expo…a three day event happening now in Bellingham, Washington (continues through Earth Day, Sunday April 22, ’til 3pm).
So, if you’re in the neighborhood, I enthusiastically recommend that you stop by for the half day of events (and catch a performance by Monkey Puzzle Orchestra at the Spark Museum, 1pm).
I’ve had a most stimulating and fun two days of demos, exhibits, workshops, film and fashion (and I also presented a curated a slide show of cool and weird recycled art, twice)…but, a picture (or 20) is worth a thousand (or twenty thousand) words…Oh, and please think twice before you throw out that ol’ pile o’ junk…somewhere there’s a recycle artist eager to re-purpose it!
So, with that, here we go…enjoy!
'Toast in Record Time' by Eric Brown
Toaster Artist Eric Brown gives a visitor a stimulating Toaster Massage
Young artist Nat makes a space ship at the The REStore's Recycle Art Station (Spark Museum Hall)
Young artist Maria at work on her mobile robot stand at the Recycled Art Station (Spark Museum)
reclaimed lampshades by Leslie Smith (reclaimed lampshades with printed photos)
The playful and charming Salvage Art works of Graham Shodda
CD art projects by young artists at the ReSources.org exhibit (Spark Museum)
'RePrincess' by Erin Libby (found table leg and packing foam). One of the many fabulous recycled/repurposed art works at the Allied Arts (.org) Gallery
'Under Tow' by William Edwards (lampshade, plumbing pipes, press wood, metal)
'Ticking Time Bomb' by Gail A. Dupar (found clock face/frame, wood spool, rubber tubing), at the Allied Arts Gallery
'Egg/Universe' by Thor Myhre at the Spark Museum
Bluegrass duo (with recycled percussion instruments) The Gallus Bros. performed at the Spark Museum, Friday night
Ending Friday night at RARE with a bang (or rather a controlled, propane gas-fueled fire sculpture ('Fire and Steel') by Tim Alexander
Saturday night finished off with a fabulous Recycled ('trash") fashion show, at Pickford's Limelight Theatre...the show was a collaboration between Western Washington Univ., RARE, and ReSources.org. 'La Vie de la Plastique' by Lizzy Skolmen, Aiden Borer (shredded plastic bags, vinyl flooring, discarded blinds)
'Red Vinyl Suit' (made from red plastic leather from car seats) by designer Travis Malloy.
Mermaid Turned Earthling' by Maggie Bates, model Mary Schwartz (fashion made from reclaimed building tarp, discarded fleece blanket, juice container lids). Fashion by Industrial Design Students at WWU, instructor: Prof. Arunas Oslapas
License plate globe (by Graham Shodda)
RARE is organized by Allied Arts of Whatcom County, Thor Myhre
SPECIAL THANKS to Kelly Hart and Katy Borden at Allied Arts for all their help!
Top Photo: The World is My Toaster’ by Eric Brown
Michael Ricciardi is a well-published writer of science/nature/technology articles and essays, poetry and short fiction. Michael has interviewed dozen of scientists from many scientific fields, including Brain Greene, Paul Steinhardt, and Nobel Laureate Ilya Progogine (deceased). Michael was trained as a naturalist and taught ecology and natural science on Cape Cod, Mass. from 1986-1991. His first arts grant was for production of the environmental (video) documentary 'The Jones River - A Natural History', 1987-88 (Kingston, Mass.). Michael is also an award winning, internationally screened video artist. Two of his more recent short videos; 'A Time of Water Bountiful' and 'My Name is HAM' (an "imagined memoir" about the first chimp in space), and several other short videos, can be viewed on his website (http://www.chaosmosis.net). Michael currently lives in Seattle, Washington.
