It was never my lifelong dream to photograph dumpsters; maybe something to do with public health or government, but definitely not searching out dumpsters to photograph. And yet, here I am, “painting” with dumpsters.
I guess it was love at first sight. The variety in colors and textures, the juxtaposition between hard and soft lines, and the natural and unnatural weathering makes each dumpster unique. Admittedly, I also enjoyed the thrill of the chase, exploring the streets of Atlanta and making something beautiful from such an unexpected and mundane object. I discovered a whole new world on the walls of dumpsters: soft grease stains catching the sunlight, accidental paint marks, pencil scribbles, paint splatter, lacy patterns left by snails, ocean waves, and so much more. I was hooked.
My first few collections (The Storm, Abloom, Urban Beach Day, and Prespring) focus on abstract depictions of the natural world found on the walls of dumpsters. I am enamored with mother nature’s artistry which is frequently overlooked living in a city. My abstracts were a way for me to marry my appreciation for mother nature while using a most unnatural object to show beauty hiding in plain sight.
Eventually, the amount of trash I encountered dumpster after dumpster ruined the fun, and I was no longer motivated to photograph dumpster walls. It wasn’t only the amount of trash in and around dumpsters that became overwhelming; it was seeing garbage EVERYWHERE. Garbage left at the beginning of the narrows in Zion National Park; garbage found along the beach during an early morning walk along the Atlantic Ocean; balloons fished out of the ocean while whale watching near the Channel Islands; plastic bags stuck in trees.
Returning to my love of collage and piecing things together to make something new and original, I started experimenting with digital compositing. I start with an original photograph of a landscape or natural object, and then I start “painting” it using bits and pieces of dumpster wall photos. Transforming my original photograph into a new and original piece of art.
Now I no longer look for abstract paintings on the walls of dumpsters; instead, I look for potential “paint,” seeking out colors, textures, and shapes. Combining multiple images and selecting bits and pieces from my photographs of dumpster walls allows me to create new, original artwork addressing the fragile relationship between humans and the planet.
