environmental art and artists

Environmental Art and Artists Mindy Montgomery

Research Brief #1

Artistic Development

University of Florida

Fall 2012

Environmental art is artwork, which helps improve our

relationship with the natural world. I find this work intriguing as the

amount of waste I see in the art room can be staggering. This has

inspired me to help my students to find ways to create art with what

we have or what we might normally throw away. I plan to use this

collection as a resource for my students and as inspiration about what

can be done with some garbage.

http://www.scoop.it/t/environmental-artists

Art that helps improve our

relationship with the natural world.

http://www.likecool.com/Running_The_Numbers_by_Chris_4

Artist, Chris Jordan

2

Environmental art and Artists Montgomery 2012

Ronald Rael is an Assistant Prof of Architecture at UC Berkeley. Along with his wife, he created a

"Grotto" using the glass pieces to solar panels, left by bankrupt energy company Solyndra. Three years ago, the

federal government made a $528 million loan guarantee to Solyndra to promote renewable energy and create

“green jobs.” Solyndra went bankrupt leaving many pallets of the glass rods with a storage company. This gave

artist Ronald Rael and his wife with the opportunity to create the amazing grotto.

(http://www.ced.berkeley.edu/ced/people/query.php?id=416)

Running the Numbers by Chris Jordan, Breaking down the numbers of objects used by the American

public, as well as the numbers of objects used in his artwork. Artist, Chris Jordan uses pieces of trash to create

awareness of the waste in America. Images of his artwork show the magnitude of his artwork and the

consumption of the American public. His focus is bringing attention to the overuse and the waste created by

Americans on a daily basis. The act of seeing the amount of objects used daily creates an emotional response.

(http://www.likecool.com/Running_The_Numbers_by_Chris_Jordan--Pic--Gear.html) Contemporary artist John Dahlsen creates environmental sculptures,

installation art, driftwood art, eco-art, digital prints, assemblage art wall

works and public art. Dahlson is also a writer and has won the Wynn prize,

which is a nationally recognized art award in Australia. Dahlson shares the

information he has learned in his 25 years of working as an artist in his

many public speaking engagements. Has was also appointed as the

"Cultural Ambassador" for Friends of the United Nations, on World

Environment Day June 6th 2011. (http://www.johndahlsen.com)

Glass rods from Solyndra

Photo by Jeff Chiu

Artist, John Dahlson

3


+

1

Mel Chin incorporates art into unlikely places, including destroyed homes and toxic landfills. He has

investigated how art can provoke greater social awareness and responsibility. He has created such large-scale

environmental projects such as Revival Fields and The Fundred-Dollar Bill project, aimed at leaching toxins and

pollution from the soil in New Orleans. The Fundred-Dollar Bill project encourages students to create their own

currency to send to Washington DC to be exchanged for federal funds to clean up the soil in New Orleans.

(http://melchin.org/oeuvre/mel-chin)

There are also many groups have joined together to bring about social awareness concerning art and the

environment, including www.greenmuseum.org. The site helps people to connect with the community and artists

that connect with the natural world. This site includes a list of artists who practice creating art with the natural

world in mind.

Environmental artists, Maya Lin came into the public eye when, during her senior year of college, she

submitted the winning design in a national competition for a Vietnam Veterans Memorial that was built in

Washington, DC. She is inspired by the culturally diverse lifestyle she has chosen to live. She uses Japanese

gardens, Indian mounds and earthworks as her inspiration for her architecture, sculptures, and public monuments.

(http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/maya-lin)

Lynne Hull creates artwork that helps to fill the gap that has been created by man in nature. She strives to

Artist, Mel Chin http://blog.art21.org/2008/03/03/mel-chin-the-fundred-dollar-bill-project/

4


2

create human awareness about the human relationship with the natural environment. She holds a strong belief that

artist’s creativity can create solutions for real world problems. (http://eco-art.org)

Susan Benarcik is part printmaker and part sculptor. She uses forms of the natural and man made world

and stacks, strings, layers, knots, and weaves them into dimensional sculpture for both public and private space.

She is a horticulturalist whose artwork encourages the viewer to stop and think about the human experience

including the environment. (http://www.susanbenarcik.com)

Mary Ellen Croteau works in both small and large-scale installations. She creates art from bottle caps and

other plastic items that are commonly thrown away and cannot be recycled. Her pieces have inspired many bottle

cap lessons in schools throughout the country. The use of bottle caps was inspired by the fact that many bottle

caps either cannot be recycled or are not. Her bottle cap mosaics are captivating to the viewer, through the use of

layering and color. The layering of the bottle caps reminded Croteau of the work of artist Chuck Close’s paintings.

(http://www.maryellencroteau.net/mec_website/Home.html)

Basket maker, Trevor Leat is one of the premier creators of willow branch sculptures.

He uses traditional techniques to combine beauty with functionality; Leat has been weaving willow for

over 30 years. He creates baskets, furniture, coffins and large-scale sculptures. Many of his sculptures

also include pyrotechnics. (http://www.trevorleat.co.uk/index.htm)

Jean Paul Ganem creates agricultural compositions use wedges of colors that contrast. His work can be

found where the viewer least expects to find art. The fields he creates consist of human waste and gas plant

emission pipes. He recreates beautiful landscapes from our garbage. His first agricultural artwork was created in

Canada in 1992. This first site was a human waste site, has now been transformed into an awe-inspiring field of

color. (http://greenmuseum.org/artist_index.php?artist_id=164)

Jaakko Pernu, is a sculpture from Finland. He works mainly with natural materials and has drawn

inspiration from his childhood, where he spent much time working with his father building boats. That is where he

learned to manipulate wood into bends and curves. He allows his artwork to degrade and break down over time;

this shows as a sign of how nature impacts everything in our lives. He creates site-specific work, he finds his

inspiration from the land and materials found at the work site. (http://www.environmentalart.net/pernu/)

David Poppie uses everyday objects to create 2D and 3D artwork. He asks his viewers to question the

original function of the object. His artwork fits together like puzzle pieces, placed together carefully. He uses

reclaimed materials in an attempt to ask the viewer to reconsider the value and purpose of these objects.

(http://davidpoppie.com)

3

5


In 2004 Robert Bradford began experimenting with a series of

sculptures that utilize plastic toys as the main modeling material. The toys

are screwed together to create a new work of art. In 2004 Robert Bradford

began experimenting with a series of sculptures that utilize plastic toys as the

main modeling material. The toys are screwed together to create a new work

of art. Bradford’s choice of medium stems from the desire to not use boring

materials. The toys themselves provide a history of pop culture. In 2004

Robert Bradford began experimenting with a series of sculptures that utilize

plastic toys as the main modeling material. The toys are screwed together to

create a new work of art. Individually they are each apiece of art, but put

together they create a whole new meaning. The use of toys creates an

element of interest. The toys themselves serve as a piece of sculpture, but

when placed together create a whole new work of art. (http://www.robertbradford.co.uk)

Olga Ziemska is a sculptor and public artist that lives & works in Cleveland, Ohio. She holds the belief

that "art is a tool for understanding life." She creates large-scale public sculptures using elements of the

surrounding nature. She has created artwork in Korea using bamboo; she has created tree-scapes in Tremont,

and has created outdoor performance art in France. (http://www.olgaziemska.com)

Historian T. Allen Comp who creates earthworks in areas ravaged by mining and its devastating

effects. His work draws attention to the misuse of land. In particular he worked in Kent, Washington on land

that has been ravaged by coal mining. He uses the word art in the meaning of creating and transforming areas

to enable people to utilize their senses. Comp along side of naturalist, artists, and historian’s uses natural

objects such as trees to create bands of color. (http://www.ci.kent.wa.us/content.aspx?id=7446)

In today’s world of overuse and over consumption the need to be aware of our surroundings and to

utilize what we have is ever important. The utilization of environmentally friendly practices is becoming more

important to artists whom are concerned with the natural world. As this becomes an aspect of contemporary

art, as an art educator it is important to introduce these ideals to my students.

Before

After

T. Allen Comp, Earthworks, Vitondale, PA

Environmental art and artists Montgomery 2012

References

AMD&ART: Earthworks to Waterworks with a Community Base: A Short Homage to Herbert Bayer and “Earthworks”. (2007). Retrieved September 11, 2012, from, www.ci.kent.wa.us -

Creating trans-species art and sculpture for wildlife. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2012, http://eco-art.org

David Poppie. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2012, from, http://davidpoppie.com

Jean Paul Ganum .(2010). Retrieved September 11, 2012, from, http://greenmuseum.org/artist_index.php?artist_id=164

Mary Ellen Cotreau. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2012, from, http://www.maryellencroteau.net/mec_website/Home.html

Maya Lin in Identity. (2011). Retrieved September 11, 2012 from, http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/maya-lin

Mel Chin. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2012, from, http://melchin.org/oeuvre/mel-chin

Olga Ziemska. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2012, from, http://www.olgaziemska.com

Robert Bradford. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2012, from, http://www.robertbradford.co.uk

Ronald Rael. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2012, from, www.ced.berkeley.edu

Running the numbers. (2008). Retrieved September 12, 2012, from, http://www.likecool.com/Running_The_Numbers_by_Chris_Jordan--Pic--Gear.html

Susan Benercik. (n.d.). Retrieved September , 2012, from, http://www.susanbenarcik.com

Trevor Leat. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2012, from, www.trevorleat.co.uk

environmental art and artists

Documents