First, a bit about this Fantastic Global Art Project:
http://www.landfillart.org
"Landfillart is an international effort encompassing one-thousand-forty-one (1,041) artists to claim a piece of rusted metal garbage and create fine art.
The 1,041 pieces of rusted metal are actually old automobile hub caps from the 1930’s through the 1970’s. Each hub cap, after being cleaned and primed, is affectionately called a “metal canvas.” Although most “metal canvases” have been transformed by the artist using oil or acrylic paint, some have been weaved on, glued or screwed or welded to, or made into fine sculpture.
I have found that the fine artists I have worked with on this project do not even flinch when looking at this white round disc of metal canvas. And why should they. Artists from the beginning of time have used cave walls (Lascaux, France and Altamira, Spain,) walls of pyramids (Egyptians,) animal skins (American Indians,) etc… as their canvas. In addition, as a gallery owner for over thirty years, I maintain that artists, generally speaking, are more ecologically in touch and environmentally aware. Perhaps that is the reason forty-one artists readily accepted the challenge and embraced the project.
Although the project is in its infancy (I hope to have it completed by 2012,) it will evolve from a simple idea of taking forty-one old rusted hub caps and creating forty-one pieces of great art. The second phase has already started with the acquisition of one thousand additional (1000) rusted hub caps which will be turned into cleaned and primed “metal canvases. The project will continue with finding one thousand (1000) talented artists who believe in this project.
The third phase will involve publishing a book on the project showcasing all one thousand forty one (1,041) completed “metal canvases.”
The fourth and final phase will involve choosing 200 metal canvases that adequately represent the project and create a traveling show. The book and traveling show will publicly portray the global art community's effort to positively impact the environment through repurposing previous metal waste into great landfillart."
~Ken Marquis, Founder~
*****************
On my part, much thought and gathering has gone into this piece...
Starting with the Hubcap that was acquired through a posting in the local Ottawa FullCircles Yahoo Group http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/FullCirclesOttawa . The hubcap itself was a beautiful spoked Chrome piece 15" in diameter, from an 'extinct' Oldsmobile.
We, as a family, have taken several hikes to gather the Natural elements along the local Lime Kiln nature trail, http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails-a-z/lime-kiln-trail which were then left out to fully air-dry. Care was taken to collect things that were already dead or damaged enough they would be dead soon. Like the fungus off of a piece of bark other hikers knocked off when they went through before us. etc... I really wanted to 'send some Canada' off to represent us, as a country, with this project.
The Technology elements have been collected over years, part of my ever growing then diminishing 'as used up' collection of sh-tuff in the Studio. Many parts were acquired quite recently during the latest City of Ottawa Treasure Hunt Weekend. http://ottawa.ca/garbage_recycle/garbage/giveaway_en.html . A few have also been graciously donated by friends/neighbors more recently.
Everyone has been so supportive and helpful!
So, slowly... "Nature's Way" has quite literally 'grown' right out of a rusted old hubcap.
I thought long and hard about how to approach this project.
I had 3 goals:
1. Represent Canada, finding some way to 'make it uniquely Canadian'.
2. Do Art the best way I know how: 'reduce-reuse-redecorate'.
My personal artistic mantra.
3. Send a positive message.
All the elements were acquired here, in Canada, and many of them were very much 'home grown' right from Canadian Soil. Goal 1 met.
3D Mixed Media Collage, my specialty. Goal 2 met.
Positive quote...No bad lashing over the terrible things we're doing to this planet, this project is Canadian... too polite for that. lol Goal 3 met.
If we leave Nature to it, she will correct many of our damages. We see this every time we're hiking along the Lime Kiln trail in particular. There are several ruins, from the original Lime Brick Production, along there and the forest is taking them back, bit by bit... Those Ruins were the main inspiration for this project. Hence the desire to use elements that came right from that exact location on the project itself.
An album with ALL the pictures *start-to-finish* can be seen on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/keepsakescrafts/sets/72157628045570330/with/6329116751/
Included are only a few, of the finished piece, here on my blog.
Thank-You to Ken Marquis for seeing beyond the rust...
I feel *truly* blessed to have been given such a unique opportunity, to participate in such an amazing Art Initiative, to stand alongside so many other artists from around this planet... It's just awesome.
~Sarah Cooper, Artist~
Finished Project:
"Nature's Way"
http://www.landfillart.org
"Landfillart is an international effort encompassing one-thousand-forty-one (1,041) artists to claim a piece of rusted metal garbage and create fine art.
The 1,041 pieces of rusted metal are actually old automobile hub caps from the 1930’s through the 1970’s. Each hub cap, after being cleaned and primed, is affectionately called a “metal canvas.” Although most “metal canvases” have been transformed by the artist using oil or acrylic paint, some have been weaved on, glued or screwed or welded to, or made into fine sculpture.
I have found that the fine artists I have worked with on this project do not even flinch when looking at this white round disc of metal canvas. And why should they. Artists from the beginning of time have used cave walls (Lascaux, France and Altamira, Spain,) walls of pyramids (Egyptians,) animal skins (American Indians,) etc… as their canvas. In addition, as a gallery owner for over thirty years, I maintain that artists, generally speaking, are more ecologically in touch and environmentally aware. Perhaps that is the reason forty-one artists readily accepted the challenge and embraced the project.
Although the project is in its infancy (I hope to have it completed by 2012,) it will evolve from a simple idea of taking forty-one old rusted hub caps and creating forty-one pieces of great art. The second phase has already started with the acquisition of one thousand additional (1000) rusted hub caps which will be turned into cleaned and primed “metal canvases. The project will continue with finding one thousand (1000) talented artists who believe in this project.
The third phase will involve publishing a book on the project showcasing all one thousand forty one (1,041) completed “metal canvases.”
The fourth and final phase will involve choosing 200 metal canvases that adequately represent the project and create a traveling show. The book and traveling show will publicly portray the global art community's effort to positively impact the environment through repurposing previous metal waste into great landfillart."
~Ken Marquis, Founder~
*****************
On my part, much thought and gathering has gone into this piece...
Starting with the Hubcap that was acquired through a posting in the local Ottawa FullCircles Yahoo Group http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/FullCirclesOttawa . The hubcap itself was a beautiful spoked Chrome piece 15" in diameter, from an 'extinct' Oldsmobile.
We, as a family, have taken several hikes to gather the Natural elements along the local Lime Kiln nature trail, http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails-a-z/lime-kiln-trail which were then left out to fully air-dry. Care was taken to collect things that were already dead or damaged enough they would be dead soon. Like the fungus off of a piece of bark other hikers knocked off when they went through before us. etc... I really wanted to 'send some Canada' off to represent us, as a country, with this project.
The Technology elements have been collected over years, part of my ever growing then diminishing 'as used up' collection of sh-tuff in the Studio. Many parts were acquired quite recently during the latest City of Ottawa Treasure Hunt Weekend. http://ottawa.ca/garbage_recycle/garbage/giveaway_en.html . A few have also been graciously donated by friends/neighbors more recently.
Everyone has been so supportive and helpful!
So, slowly... "Nature's Way" has quite literally 'grown' right out of a rusted old hubcap.
I thought long and hard about how to approach this project.
I had 3 goals:
1. Represent Canada, finding some way to 'make it uniquely Canadian'.
2. Do Art the best way I know how: 'reduce-reuse-redecorate'.
My personal artistic mantra.
3. Send a positive message.
All the elements were acquired here, in Canada, and many of them were very much 'home grown' right from Canadian Soil. Goal 1 met.
3D Mixed Media Collage, my specialty. Goal 2 met.
Positive quote...No bad lashing over the terrible things we're doing to this planet, this project is Canadian... too polite for that. lol Goal 3 met.
If we leave Nature to it, she will correct many of our damages. We see this every time we're hiking along the Lime Kiln trail in particular. There are several ruins, from the original Lime Brick Production, along there and the forest is taking them back, bit by bit... Those Ruins were the main inspiration for this project. Hence the desire to use elements that came right from that exact location on the project itself.
An album with ALL the pictures *start-to-finish* can be seen on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/keepsakescrafts/sets/72157628045570330/with/6329116751/
Included are only a few, of the finished piece, here on my blog.
Thank-You to Ken Marquis for seeing beyond the rust...
I feel *truly* blessed to have been given such a unique opportunity, to participate in such an amazing Art Initiative, to stand alongside so many other artists from around this planet... It's just awesome.
~Sarah Cooper, Artist~
Finished Project:
"Nature's Way"
My wonderfully supportive Husband, Greg, taking pictures:
Finished Project: "Nature's Way"
Close and on the Left:
Full View of Main Front:
View from the Top, kinda Right.You can really see the rusty start this piece had:
Side Right Bottom:
From the Bottom:
Center Bottom:
Center Bottom, really close:
Center Bottom:
Left Bottom:
Center Left, good view of the Quote:
Center Left, from the Side.This is my favorite picture:
You can really *see* the Sapling growing out of the split Audio-Cassette.
Also a great view of the Nest and Eggs nestled in next to the Spark Plug and Gear-y bit.
Top from Left:
Center Top:
Top Right:
Center Right:
Center Right, Up Close:
The Center, Up Close:
Center Right Bottom:
'Artist With Project' Picture:
4 comments:
Wow! I think you absolutely achieved your goals with this piece. The sentiment really helps convey the message. A great display of mother nature and how she will triumph over anything we humans throw at her. I hope your piece gets selected for the tour!
verrry cool! my hubby makes alligators out of scrap metal. i'll show him your post!
Looks awesome Sarah!
such a cool project - I love the way it turned out. fut to hear about your goals and process.
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