August 2004

Scrapture 2004: Yet Another Success

by Brian Belsardi, Garbage Reincarnation

More than 30 artists from around the San Francisco Bay Area converged on the town of Cotati, California, to show off their art made from junk. The event was Garbage Reincarnation’s 18th Annual “Scrapture Junk Art Sculpture Show and Competition,” held at La Plaza Park, in Cotati.

These artists incorporate items that would normally languish in landfills. Along with the fun, the desire to bring attention to the need for recycling is their ultimate goal.

Thomas Pratt entered “Oberon” which stands 27 inches tall and has a girth of 13 inches. An old coconut juice can stands in as his torso while his head was originally an irrigation pressure valve. Other materials used include a garden hose, flattened lids, old marbles, root fiber from soap plant, carpet wool, keys, buttons and wire.

Cash prizes were donated by co-sponsors of the event, Beyond Waste, North Bay Corporation, and West Coast Metals and celebrity judges artist Thea West, Duane Clark of Cotati’s Beyond Waste, and Gretchen Giles of the “North Bay Bohemian” newspaper were on hand to present the awards to the winners in each of four different categories, as follows:

Amateur:
1st: “Heavy Handed,” by Lindsay Rikeman; 2nd: “Oberon,” by Thomas Pratt; 3rd: “American Bush-A-Pine,” by Samar Silverwolf.

Children & Family:
1st: “Wired,” by Patrick Vargas.

Professional:
1st: “Smeg Hindlicker,” by Don Carlson (pictured above); 2nd: “Wrack!,” by Tim Boucher; 3rd: “Do Not Call,” by Dave Grossman.

Scrap Craft:
1st: “Blue Fairie,” by Gay Huntley; 2nd: “Paper . . .Or Plastic?” by Allegra Burke; 3rd: “Mirror Glass and Wood Cabinet Door,” by Nassu Born.

As a non-profit organization, Garbage Reincarnation coordinates the “Scrapture” event every year to help educate the public about solid waste issues and to awaken the creative minds of artists who create their artwork from and give new life to items and materials that would otherwise be destined for the landfill.