In terms of myself mostly yes. I think naturally there are some inherent messages in using these sorts of materials. It depends how you do it. I’ve been very cautious to use materials in a way that for me is honest. My intention is to make something beautiful out of these objects. My intention is not to be out there waving my finger at people. The message is there. I am wanting to make something beautiful using a difficult medium. Especially with beach plastic, which waves an environmental red flag, because someone had to throw it there or it’s washing ashore.
It raises many questions and I think when people see this work they will say, “okay, why is this happening?” I think that’s a good thing. It’s not chastising people, its just bringing awareness. Even if they were just walking along the beach and thinking about throwing something on the ground they might reconsider doing that. It’s the same with the plastic bag series. I’m intrigued by what can be made from recycled materials.
I’ve always been like that. When I was a kid I’d go to the local tip and search for old golf buggy wheels, so I could make my billy-carts. Most kids do that sort of stuff. It never used to faze me that it was a bit on the nose. I’ve been into recycling and doing this sort of thing for many years and I’ve never had a tag on myself for being special because I do it. I just see the potential in reusing things and recycling things and making stuff out of what other people might see as being worthless.
For most artists I’m sure they are at the forefront of environmental awareness and they would recycle as much as possible. It would even extend to their reusing old paint to make objects out of so as to be creative and not have it all end as toxins in landfill.
