eco-art for change

Artist Inspiration

 

A working page of Eco-Artists and all time favorite historical artists

I have been inspired by in my work and life.

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Joe Rush

I just discovered this artist when he did a giant Mt. Rushmore-inspired sculpture using electronic waste for the G7 summit in England '21.  His work and environmental vision is amazing!

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John Dahlsen

I discovered Dahlsen about many years ago when I first began wondering if there were other artists in the world crazy enough to make art out of garbage (other than the Dadaists) and was immediately smitten!

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Chris Jordan

The power of the photographic image to document, inform, educate, and send a powerful message comes through in Jordan's work.

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Tom Deininger

I first saw Deininger's work in an exhibition of environmental art at the Helen Day Art Center in Stowe.  I was bowled over by it's power and the amazing imagery, all created from discarded plastics.

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Tim Gaudreau

Gaudreau was one of the first self-proclaimed eco-artists I ran across after finding Tom Dahlsen's work. I interviewed Tim for my St. Mike's master's project, and have kept in touch intermittently since then. He lives and works in the Portsmouth, NH area where my son and his wife currently live.

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Diane Shullenberger

I saw a presentation by this artist at a VT Art Teacher's Association conference many years ago and fell in love with her color sense and connection to nature.  During my Saint Mike's grad work, I spent time shadowing Diane in her studio and was very influenced by her method of taking small pieces and collaging them together to make her vision whole.

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El Anatsui

I lucked into viewing El Anatsui's work in the Saint Louis Art Musuem during a quick visit while in town for my son's wedding.  Overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of this man's work, making beautiful sculptural fabrics from recycyled found metals and plastics. Luck struck again when in Williamstown, MA at the end of my Long Trail section hiking and his work was on exhibit at the Clark Museum.

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Edward Burtynsky

The Shelburne Museum had a show juxtaposing the landscape photography of Ansel Adams with the work of Edward Burtynsky, which I took CHS students to a number of years ago.  I have continued to use their work to inspire my Photography students to look at the world through the lenses of untouched nature, as in Adams's photos, and man's impact on nature, as in Burtynsky's work.  Their work has also inspired my own aesthetic - through my desire to educate about environmental issues with my work, while at the same time creating images of beauty.

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Daniel Dancer

Daniel Dancer uses people and landscape to create his collaborative images designed by members of the communities he works with through his art business, Art for the Sky.  His work is inspiring for its ability to build connections and communication using simple abstract symbolism.

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Keeley Haftner

I met Keeley at the 2015 Haystack Mountain School of Crafts Summer Conference when I saw her crocheting plastic bags during a lecture.  This was an artist I had to meet!  Keeley is the most cutting-edge environmental artist I know, and has spent more time researching and earning her "recycling cred" than any eco-artist.  She has spent time working in recycling facilities, and works with 3D printers using repurposed plastic for most of her work.

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Mandy Barker

I discovered the photography of Mandy Barker on Pinterest when searching for images related to the "Plastic Ocean." In her artist statement she says, "The aim of my work is to engage with and stimulate an emotional response in the viewer by combining a contradiction between initial aesthetic attraction with the
subsequent message of awareness." 

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Aurora Robson

Aurora Robson was featured on a few of the websites I researched for information on the Pacific plastic gyre and artists working to rbing awareness to the issue.  Robson has created an organization, called Project Vortex of artists, designers, craftspeople, and architects who are committed to "intercepting" the waste stream by using repurposed plastics for their work.

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Crispina ffrench

Crispina is a brander and influencer specializing in sustainably produced fiber art, especially quilts and rugs created with repurposed/reclaimed fabrics.

 

Liu Bolin

Liu is an artist, often called "the Invisible Man," who explores the human interaction with their environment, especially in a current political and social justice way.

 

Aaron Ingham

Aaron is a hard-core repurposer! In his Bent Nail Studios he takes large cast-off items and turns them into amazing creatures and functional items. Tailgate bench, for instance!

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Nick Cave

Nick Cave is a super fun artist, and knows how to brand, for sure! His soundsiuts and large installations use tons of recycled and repurposed materials to create colorful spectacular art for all senses.

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Emily Carr

Emily is my artist hero, and a woman who was way ahaead of her time. If I could sit in a cafe and talk about art and life with anyone, it would be Emily. Unfortunately, I'm a generation late. Maybe we'll meet in an artist's salon in the sky someday!

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