From Trash to Treasure!

"One person’s trash is another person’s treasure." This is an old saying we've all heard many, many times before. In our upcoming show “THE REPURPOSERS", twelve local artists will bring a fresh new perspective to this old adage.

This Saturday, February 23^rd, 1:30-3:30-pm, swing by the gallery for the opening of "THE REPURPOSERS", and have the chance to meet in-person twelve fantastic artists that take repurposing to whole new artistic levels.

We also invite you to bring us some of your unwanted stuff that can be used by these artists in future art projects. If you’ve been following the wisdom of Marie Kondo, consider passing along anything that doesn’t “spark joy” to us here at the gallery. We have a list of suggested items below.

The idea for this show came from an overwhelming want and need to remind people to make better choices as a consumer- and to reuse before recycling whenever possible. It’s also about reminding us all of other ways we can make easy, small changes that help us move towards larger, positive change, like using less single-use plastic in our daily lives.

Here is a sneak peek of some of  truly inventive works made by the artists we'll be featuring in "THE REPURPOSERS" show.

Kim Danio, Bearly's House of Blues and Ribs, Re-purposed Handbag and mixed media.

Kim Danio's imaginative works always knock our socks off. She is known for her ingenious methods of transforming shoes, purses, and handbags into masterful works of art. Who knew an old handbag could live a second life as a blues bar! :) 

Kim would be happy to take your old shows, boots, purses, odds and ends for use in her creation of future works!

Ed Beals, Assembled Found Objects

Ed Beals is a master of creating impressive works by assembling found objects. Ed's ray guns and robot-like creatures look like props straight out of a sci-fi film!

Ed would be happy to take any old metal scarps, parts, gears, and hardware!

Basil Doucette, hand cut and carved folk-art butterflies made of recycled wood fruit crates 

Basil Doucette creates wonderful folk-art from reclaimed wood. These butterflies were actually made from the thin wood of clementine crates -such a great re-use for something that often gets tossed into the landfill!

Basil would be happy to take any wooden fruit crates, other discarded wood ends, scraps, acrylic paint, pins, nails, and felt.

William Rudolph, Shifter Glasses, Assembled Founjd

William Rudolph is another artist who creates works by assembling found objects, particularly old bike and camera parts and gears. William's work is always playful, and often kinetic; his good humor shines through each piece he makes!

William would be happy to take any old bicycle parts, old camera parts, old metal scarps, parts, gears, and hardware!

LoHiFi (Chris Little and Theofanis Pitsiavas), LoHiFi Flier, wood, eye-hooks, fishline, A/C motor

LoHiFi Productions creates impressive kinetic art pieces using simple, re-purposed materials. Their work is a definite must-see in action -it's quite the show! :)

William would be happy to take small bits and bobs, small scraps of wood, wire, string, anything miniature.

Zanahoy, "Macrame Mysticism", 10" x 12", Vintage frame, 1950's reprint of a makeup advertisement inlayed with "Nuclear Mysticism" by Dali.

Zanahoy Handcut Collages creates clever, thought provoking collages from various reclaimed print media. From flyers and print advertisements, to re-purposed prints, Zanahoy combines seemingly incongruous imagery to create fantastical scenes.

Zanahoy would be happy to take discarded old books, flyers, catalogues, and magazines.

Trista Hallam, Seahorse, old discarded book.

Trista Hallam brings old books to life my carefully folding the pages of a book to create an image. Trista can transform old discarded books that are collecting dust into sculptures you can display in your home!

Trista would be happy to take any of your old hardcover books

Jen Worden, Herring In Shrine, 8" x 8", mixed media

Jen Worden is a mixed media artist who incorporates old photographs, beeswax, and many other odds and ends like construction scraps into her work. Her pieces have a really intriguing sense of nostalgia!

 Jen would be happy to take plaster, old photographs, beeswax, and construction scraps.

 

Kevin MacLean, reclaimed objects, drift wood.

Kevin MacLean utilizes a variety of reclaimed and found objects, often in conjunction with driftwood, to create sculptural works. We love the wood and metal combo!

Kevin would be happy to take pieces of driftwood, old metal scraps, watch parts, wire, and lobster traps.

Allison Pinsent Baker, Untitled, mixed natural fibres, driftwood

Allison Pinsent Baker is a textile artist who creates gorgeous woven wall-hangings made of mixed natural fibres. Allison's pieces are often suspended from driftwood as opposed to a metal rod or wooden dowel.

Allison would be happy to take leftover natural fibres (yarn or fabric scraps) or driftwood.

Susan Slade is a mixed media artist who creates whimsical shadowboxes from found objects that look like tiny, magical worlds.

Susan would be happy to take any odds and ends, broken bits of jewellery, small glass bottles, old photographs, anything miniature,

We’ll also be joined by BEEZY WRAPS- a local company that offers a great alternative to plastic-based food storage.
 
In addition, we are asking for donations of PLASTIC STRAWS from any local restaurant or anyone wanting to make a change to paper or other alternatives. The hope is that in the coming months, and original work of art will be made using these straws collected by participating artist Allison Pinsent- Baker.