New Maker in Residence Art Show: “Upcycled Stardust”
The ReMakery (behind Lopez Bookstore) welcomes you to the newest Maker in Residence art show opening Friday, August 6 from 5-8 pm, with an artist talk 6-7 pm. This month’s Makers in Residence are Julia Mira and Lucy McGown.
Julia Mira is a school teacher on Waldron Island, and an experienced maker and artist in many mediums. She speaks about her background and current body of work as, “I was born in Hollywood a long time ago. I remember jacaranda trees and wild parrots; the thick smell of eucalyptus and jasmine; torrential rains and choking smog; palms and carob trees crammed with songbirds. The Pacific Northwest has different constellations, a different smell and texture. Almost thirty years off the grid placed me squarely in the dirt and water, with the patterns and relationships to be found here. My practice arises from that messy, fecund interleaving.
Messy and fecund. The world is so big! TIOLI has so much stuff to work with! How to honor ALL of it?
During the Maker in Residency month of July I’m re-purposing books into sketchbooks, tucking some of the greeting cards and envelopes from that delicious collection at TIOLI into their pages. Who could resist “Thinking of You” between the covers of a retired mechanical engineering book?
So many lovely fabric scraps pass through TIOLI shelves, and I’ve found the perfect vehicle for them–a roomy patchwork bag that showcases them–velvets, silks, and calicos alike.
Outside my kitchen window, I’ve set up several natural dye vats along with their mordants and assists. There’s even an indigo vat, which periodically blooms with the characteristic “flower” that tells me the pH is (temporarily, alas) correct. Experimenting with this fabric art gives me the opportunity to use cotton bedsheets and only slightly stained linens from the bedding section of TIOLI. The resulting botanical prints find new life as bag liners, upcycled clothing accents, and art.”
Lucy McGown speaks about herself and her work as "Hi, my name is Lucy McGown. I’ve lived on Lopez Island for the past 7 years and I’m going into 12th grade here at Lopez Island High School. I’m excited to be a Maker in Residence and I will be making small scenes in tin cans (pocket fairy houses), and recycled fabric pleated skirts while I am here.”
The combination of their work has elements of whimsy, earthy connection, magic, upcycled genius, beautiful repurposing and gorgeous artistry.
The exhibition runs Friday August 6 from 5-8 pm to the next day, Saturday August 7 from 12 pm - 6 pm and coincides with the Chimera Gallery’s opening in hopes to create a mini art walk in the same corner of Lopez plaza.
To learn more about the ReMakery: www.lopezsolidwaste.org/remakery.