Inspired by the discarded things around me, I transform material thought of as waste into a sculptural object. Constantly frustrated by my over-consumption and production of plastic waste from consumer goods, I upcycle my trash to create sculpture resembling organs in the body, the digestive system in particular. 

The intestines are the lifeline of the body. They filter ingested nutrients, helping the body use and store those nutrients. They then excrete excess food and wastes the body cannot use. These wastes, however, can be used as fertilizer, fuel, or nutrients for other organisms in our ecosystem. In this cycle the nutrients are never lost. This is the same approach used in my artwork. I model my process as an artist on this system of renewal.

The building blocks for my sculpture come from methodically separating my trash into compost, recyclable bottles, cans and plastic; and unrecyclable packaging from consumer products. Material also comes from collecting plastic trash in my neighborhood like left over plastic wrap lying on the street and in dumpsters. This plastic waste along with my own trash becomes the basic units of my sculptures. I have developed different methods for creating these units including twisting and heat fusing plastic, weaving candy wrappers and plastic food bags, and printing with worm castings on paper made from my junk mail. The resulting materials resemble lambs wool, skin, and fabric.

        This work questions our preconceived notion of waste and offers the viewer an alternative to throwing trash into a landfill. My desire is to inspire the viewer to imagine re-using his or her own waste as material. Above all, I regard my method of sculpture as a way to reduce my carbon footprint and to be accountable for my over-consumption.