Arches

July 3, 2017

Arches was the first piece where I really wanted to push the boundaries between 2D and 3D and create a painting that was also a sculpture. To do this I adhered most of the water bottles together to form an actual arch that raised above the surface of the other trash.

Arches viewed straight on — *Arches* viewed straight on

Arches viewed from below. Notice how the arch is a 3D element. — *Arches* viewed from below. Notice how the arch is a 3D element.

I have been contemplating my relationship with art and the large amount of waste it can produce. I wanted to find ways I can validate art and its important purpose by working with recycled materials found in National Parks and other landscape environments. With 2016 having been the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, I have especially appreciated, and been inspired by, the natural beauty that the parks offer, and found how easily we can take these precious places for granted. For each National Park I visit, I plan to gather as much trash as I can, sculpt it into a canvas, and paint the scene where the trash originated onto the trash itself. So far I have collected trash from Acadia, Rocky Mountain, Arches, Zion, Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Pinnacles, Channel Islands, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Saguaro, Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, Big Bend, and Petrified Forest National Parks.