Cute, But Deadly! Plastic Marine Debris Creatures Invade Art From Scrap Gallery
The number of creatures in our tidepool is growing! Although they are cute, these tidepool inhabitants are constructed out of the ubiquitous plastic litter found on our local beaches. Come check out these adorable, but deadly “Litter Creatures” at To The Sea an unnatural journey at the Art From Scrap Gallery at 302 East Cota Street in downtown Santa Barbara.
Spotticus Jaunticularias by Holly Mackay:
To The Sea an unnatural journey is a collaborative installation. Community members were invited to construct “Litter Creatures” out of trash that they found on the beach or near a storm drain.
More Litter Creatures:
The art on the re-used blue trays was inspired by old instructional diagrams depicting life cycles and systems of plants and animals. Guest Curator and artist Holly Mackay asked children if they would draw a creature made from plastic- one that they might find on the beach or near a storm drain. The kids drew and then Holly reproduced their drawings on the trays and colored them in.
To The Sea, an unnatural journey will be at the Art From Scrap Gallery from August 22nd through October 4th. Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and Saturdays 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
Josh was born and raised in Santa Barbara, where his passion and curiosity for the environment began and has continued to grow. During his undergraduate studies, Josh pursued this interest at the University of California at Santa Cruz, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies.
Melissa Dodos developed her passion for creative reuse as a mother of four and elementary educator over the past 25 years. She loves to inspire creativity by connecting people with resources and ideas.
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife.
Stephanie began her journey as an educator over twenty years ago working as a preschool teacher in Washington state for a cooperative preschool program affiliated with Whatcom Community College. She loved observing the wonder and curiosity of the children and bringing them out into nature to explore the natural world. She continued her love for learning and got her teaching license and then her Montessori certification and worked as an elementary teacher in Tribal, Public, and Montessori schools. She collaborated to create a school garden and her students loved it so much that it became a special place where they could garden, read, explore, play, and it provided a safe sanctuary for students to calm down and reset when they were having difficult moments.
Morgan’s mermaid soul is always seeking adventure—swimming a relay across the Santa Barbara Channel and taking the first photo of a newborn orca off Anacapa Island being standout experiences close to home.
Lindsay Johnson