I love litter. I don’t love what litter/trash does to our environment, but I love that it can be a metaphor for where we’re at. I believe once the metaphor is understood and embraced, then real change can happen. I’m all about
sharing that message. I like to work from the inside out and the ground up. I want to change the way we live on this planet — live in a neighborhood that is litter-free.
Litter can be transformed (I like to say trashformed) into useful products.
Litter can be eliminated.
Litter can be a teaching tool.
Littering is a choice.
Litter can be trashformed into artwork.
Litter can be used as an inspiration for creating meaningful dialogue.
And… the Litter List can go on and on.
Another reason I love litter is that it’s easily accessible and a free resource. As an artist, it has become my recent media of choice — making artistic statements with litter in a way that I have not been able to do otherwise. The photograph featured here is my first piece using rusted traffic-flattened metal bottle caps as leaves on a tree. The collection of the rusted bottle caps was in full swing when the challenge of creating a “social commentary” work was presented to me. This is the resultant piece, titled “Bottlecapius Litterous”. When litter is everywhere, like the leaves on a tree, they become so commonplace we don’t “see” it anymore.
I envision, through my art, my blog, my work that I can make a difference, not by myself, but by engaging others in the process of working toward that goal… a litter-free space they can be proud of. I invite you to visit my webpage to be a part of what I am calling the Quintessential Global Trashformation movement, and take the pledge, and download a free, signed image (suitable for framing) of “Bottlecapius Litterous.” Pledge to become part of the solution. http://www.susieqwood.com/trashformation.
What can you do today that will make an immediate improvement for the neighborhood landscape?
Contemplate the ground upon which you walk or ride.
