More on Fruits of Refuse

After two weeks in Chico's Bidwell Park, the pieces in my Fruits of Refuse installation had started to become part of the landscape. They'd been rained on and were full of oak leaves.

A swarm of ants was working on an open package of Sour Straws candy.  One piece had gone missing, been found and returned.

The boot had sprouted:

Visitors had added their own touches, many of them following the color palette of the piece, like this blue beer can added to the center of a blue and yellow sculpture:

Fruits of Refuse—Art from Park Trash!

Every year visitors leave tons of garbage in Bidwell Park. Fruits of Refuse is a site specific, recylced art installation created from this litter, displayed in the park setting. A surprising array of materials, collected by volunteers, is transformed into sculptural pieces that mingle with the natural environment.

October 18 - November 1, 2008
Artist's reception Saturday October 25, 4-6 pm
One Mile Recreation Area, Bidwell Park, Chico California.

Project funded in part by the City of Chico and The ChicoProject, LLC.

Collecting Trash for Fruits of Refuse at the Park Cleanup

On Saturday a bunch of friends helped me collect trash in Bidwell Park as part of the annual Bidwell Park and Chico Creeks cleanup organized by the Butte Environmental council.

We collected about 50 lbs. of trash that will be recycled become the Fruits of Refuse art show, to be displayed at One Mile in October. Thanks Janice, Jessica, Jeff, Jude and Catherine!

Some of the items that have been collected and will be part of the finished work: alcohol bottles, backpacks, balloons, beer cans and bottles, beverage containers, bike parts, bikes, blankets, bras,  cardboard, cigarette butts, cigarette lighters, cigarette packages, clothing, coffee cups, construction materials, disposable razors, fast food packaging, flip flops, grocery item packaging, junk mail, keg cups, lawn chairs, party remnants, plastic bags, religious literature, ribbons, rolling paper wrappers, roofing felt, school project on medevil castles, shoes, snack food packaging, toys, underwear, water toys, wood.

There's more about this recycled art project in the gallery.