Great Barrier Installation @ Tapp's Arts Center

I was the recipient of the Tapp's Arts Center residency in Spring 2017!   

It was an amazing experience!!! 

Being an environmental trash artist, focusing on a variety of discarded materials, it is only natural that all environmental issues make their way into my peripheral orb, I have seen “Plastic Paradise” & “Chasing Coral” documentaries. People tag me on social media with issues on waste and recycling issues focusing on plastic and paper. I am active in a variety of local environmental groups, so my progression of things was only natural to arrive to this installation; the Great Barrier” the accumulation of plastic, the incredible waste we create on a daily basis deeply disturbed me, coupled with a project I got involved in shortly before my installation idea, working with the Columbia Bedroll project from the homeless, creating bed rolls from plastic shopping bags. I was motivated to ignite several community- based recycling projects aimed at reclaiming material and redefining the meaning of trash.

view of the 40' hall that runs down the center of the building

closeup of a coral made with styrofoam cups and dandelion branches

I collected materials from my community and soldered plastic cups and Styrofoam together to create urchin like installations, I was given branches, chopsticks, plastic utensils gathered form events, keurrig k-cup pods I had to clean and glue together. My husband and I cut and pulled plastic bags into kelp shapes, he helped me cut small strips of plastic and tie them into 80' seaweed vines. He helped me make approximately 200 paper mache` spheres we glued together into clusters to resemble barnacle clusters.

Barnacle clusters hanging on the wall

We recycled approximately 200 feet of white paper used to cover up the windows to unveil new shows, and tore them into manageable pieces to twist and turn them into coral branches. 

My beloved husband, proofer, helper, supporter came up with the idea to light the installation from within with corded lights, he also had some lightbulbs that turn and cast a light that resembles ripping water and bought a deep ocean sound effect so the immersive experience was a true experience, amazing and awes trucking.

Three months of intense recycling, cleaning, cutting, gluing, tearing twisting, we worked 12 hour days for three months to create this incredible work, and it was worth every second! I love coming up with ideas, making things work, I know my husband loves it too for he works side by side with me and knows what to do. 

The Great Barrier, was first installed as a 46-foot-long barrier reef constructed from cups, plastic bags, and other detritus collected during my three month residency at Tapp’s Art Center in Columbia. The Great Barrier was in display for one month from Aug 3rd  - Sept 2nd awing locals with this incredible experience...

We lucked out and received some Styrofoam packing sheet we tore into small strips, cut fringes on one side and rolled them tight and let the fringe open up into what looks like sea anemones. 

After the show at Tapp's I submitted this installation to the prestigious ArtFields 2018 and got in!!