EPISODE FIVE "United: the plastic quilt project"
June 2009 Press Release (PDF)

Leave No Plastic Behind, Portland’s 5th “Episode” (also known as an art exhibit), marks a collective fifteen months during which artist/participants have lived creatively and plastic-free. The Plastic Quilt Project will inspire and continue to grow as a representation of the artists, families and individuals aware of the depth to which plastic affects our shared earth. On view through June 2009 at the following times: 11-7 p.m. Wed, 11-6 p.m. Thur-Sat, &11-5 p.m. Sun, Closed Mon & Tues. RE:Vision Gallery at SCRAP, 2915 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. Portland, OR 97212.

Special thanks to Greenhaven Consulting, the NW Film Center, Hopworks as well as to Gumbo Gallery and Gifts , and To-Go Ware.

Artist/Participants:

________________Olympia, Washington Chapter
Lhisa Reish
Pre-project statement: When I got to the crossroads in 1989, I chose my day job and I really haven't looked back. I have made some art for friends, and some for money in those 20 years, but....

It's been a long time since a context for me to "make art" has captured my imagination like LNPB has. It's got Politix! It's got Social Conscious! It's got Subversion! It's not going to cost me cent to make! And it doesn't have to match ANYONE's sofa! All that plus it provides a perfect foil to talk to people about what it REALLY means to be "Wasted in the US". It will be a huge challenge for me to go completely plastic-free and I don't expect to succeed.In fact I expect to fail. It will be a journey for me and I plan to make up for my shortcomings by pulling as many of my associates along for as much of the ride as they will.

To that end (see paragraph above!) I intend to make my 12x12(s) into collage made from bits of all the millions of little stickers that I, my friends, family, and co-workers have been saving. From off our fruit rinds, our CD and DVD packages, that hitchhike along with our mail... all the little items that stick and say "NEW" that no one really notices until someone asks them to collect them for an art project about waste reduction.

Post-project statement: It is extremely difficult to not go silly when writing an artist's statement about pieces you made using sharpies and stickers. My inner 6-year-old
is especially pleased with being trusted to use the exacto knife. But seriously,
I hope you find something here that makes you laugh.I hope something here makes you think.

Mostly though-I hope you see something here that makes you want to get involved. Take on the plastic-free challenge! It could be your stuff up on these
walls next year! Being part of Episode 5 has been a lot of fun and a lot of work:
I'm very glad the art is out of my head and "on paper" where it belongs.
As for waste reduction- that, of course, is ongoing. Once you begin to
reduce the unecessary and the convenient, there is still the unavoidable--
and it is there wherein lie the truly difficult changes-- the changes we must
make not just as individuals, but as a culture. We are starting that here!
A big THANKS to LNPB and another to my pals in the Community of Stickerhood.
A tip of the chiquita peel to you all!

Ruby Reusable (a.k.a. Diane Kurzyna)


Pre-project statement: Even though I have participated in LNPB before, I feel urged to do it again since joining a LNPB-Olympia affinity group. It remains a challenge for me to be plastic-free with my family; changing our behavior takes a lot of thought and effort. As an artist I specifically use recycled materials, especially plastic, in my art work, but I do not have a preconceived notion of what I will create for this episode; I intend to let the plastic inspire me ever as it repels me!

Post-project statement: This square is made from crocheted plastic bags that the newpaper is delivered in; I know that I could read the paper on-line, but prefer to cozy up to the print edition, and also reading it first thing in the morning, while still in my pjs, so I don't go out and purchase it sans bag. During the rainy weather here in the Pacific Northwest, I do appreciate a dry newspaper, even if these bags accumalate way to quickly, I just can not give them up ... I do save and reuse and/or recycle them.

The little white plastic thingies were collected over these past 3 months from the cartons of milk and juice that my family and I have consumed. We save the cartons to collect our compostable food wastes (which the City of Olympia picks up curbside now), the cartons are compostable but of course, the plastic lid and liner is not compostable nor recyclable, and so I save them for art projects.

I have to admit, despite being aware of trying to avoid using plastic, it is overwhelming. I try not feel like a failure for not being able to live a plastic-free lifestyle, but rather reaffirm my commitment to at least attempting to reduce (as well as reusing and recycling). Until manufacturers are forced to take stewardship over their products disposal, we will be awash in oceans of plastic (hence the title of my piece).

Kristin Anton - Portland, OR___________________________


Pre-project Statement: I love adventures in arts and crafts. Resourceful crafting has allowed me to gain new skills, work with interesting materials, and learn from wonderful people. As an aspiring teacher, I am enthusiastic about activating creativity for problem solving and environmental stewardship. I enjoy the symbolic aspect of “craftivism” in that the small actions in each of our lives have the potential to impact big change in the world just as hundreds of small stitches can produce a beautiful embroidery. The reclaiming of plastics is an excellent resource opportunity for our communities. My goal in this project is to become more aware of the plastic I use in the “inevitable consequence of a busy life” in order to draw awareness to my plastic use and challenge myself to find ways to overcome the convenience of generating waste.

Post-Project Statement: “Oh, the places you’ll go.” I am amazed at the travel potential of plastic. It is incredible to think that a seemingly simple piece of plastic is manufactured someplace then transported to a location to be filled or wrapped around something that is then transferred to a purchase destination to be bought by someone and carried somewhere to be used, discarded, and picked up by the garbage truck and relocated to the dump. It could be picked up by a bird or drift down a stream. It may even make the long journey to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch thousands of miles away in the middle of the ocean. Plastic travel has a sickening romantic feel as I imagine the personified plastic bits jet setting around the globe. In a time of locavores and high gas prices, it is surprising that we don’t talk more about the mileage of our plastics.

This piece also represents the plastic used by me in my commute. As a Portlander, I use public transit or bike when getting around but when I started working in Hillsboro, I found myself having to think ahead and pack lunches, brew my morning coffee, and remember to bring my Tupperware home. If I get derailed in my routine, I am fated to the convenience of plastic. My plastic has great adventures in my classroom, commuting in my car, or enjoying the view from underneath the driver’s seat. The process of saving my plastic heightened my own awareness of the little things like straws or Q-tips (which my roommate bought and it took me about a month to even register that they were plastic… and that I needed to save them: eew). I constructed this piece by ironing shredded strips of plastics from a variety of sources. I co-advise the environmental club at the High School I work at and told them about my No Plastic Challenge. They were inspired to save their stuff too so we all had a plastic craft day with fellow artist Dana Fenwick, which was very fun and inspiring. As a teacher, I intend to use this experience in my classroom to promote environmental stewardship and waste awareness. This challenge has also impacted my personal life because my diligence in waste reduction had faltered in temptation of convenience and I revitalized my passion to be the change I want to see in a more sustainable world.

Bridget Benton - Portland, Oregon

Kelly Bryan - Portland, Oregon



Pre-project statement: I am a writer, editor, artist and certified Master Recycler. A few years ago, a stray idea in a sculpture class led me to make a series of pieces from plastic castoffs -- a process that began in abhorrence, meandered through respect and back to abhorrence, albeit a fonder and wiser abhorrence. I work with lots of other materials, but plastic remains a morbid fascination.

Because traditional natural materials like wood, metal, paper and cloth grow ever more expensive, it seems plastics are here to stay. And boy, do they stay. Reducing consumption, reuse and recycling are important but can’t stop the damage to the environment of the plastic we threw away long ago. This is an issue that demands our mindful, heart-felt study and discussion.

The thing that worries me most now concerning plastic is what happens when it breaks down into tiny pieces that make their way into rivers, oceans, fish, birds, us... The destructive potential of plastic grows as the pieces get smaller. At the same time, I can’t deny that plastic is often beautiful. I want to explore this destructive beauty in the pieces I create for the United project.

Vicky DeKrey —Returning—Portland, Oregon




I have been in every episode of Leave No Plastic Behind. That's a statement in itself.

Dani Dennenberg - Portland, Oregon

Statement: Participating in Episodes 4 and 5 were profound experiences for me and opportunities to challenge my personal limits to creativity. Collective art is especially inspiring and humbling and LNPB has such heart and soul.

For Episode 5, I envisioned continuing to bring attention to ecological issues while bringing deeper parts of myself to the work and I think I accomplished that. My biggest challenge was fine-tuning the mediums, simplifying and letting go of perfectionism.

One of the things that inspired my piece was an eloquent description of petroleum from Thom Hartmann's “Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight…” that the earth's energy and its organisms' lifeforces are fueled by sunlight in some form or another(fossil fuels being ancient sunlight). That struck me as a humbling way of looking at my choices as a consumer and after months of staring at the eyesoar of plastic that I had amassed, even with keen conscientiousness around my purchases, I feel an even greater a sense of grief over what is happening to our precious planet.

The title of my piece, “L'Chaim” is a Hebrew phrase meaning “to life.” It is symbolic of my renewed sense of responsibility to do better, to continue bringing light and creativity to the darkness.

Things that moved my art piece: speaking the truth, the strength of the
human spirit, and the theme of doing things differently.

Laurie Ewing - Eugene, Oregon

Pre-project statement: My background is in the visual arts. I have worked with artists in galleries and frame shops for many years along with making my own art which has included B&W photography of ghost towns and other abandoned placed and more recent mixed media pieces. Deep core beliefs caused me to drastically alter the course of my life by going back to school majoring in Environmental Studies and Sociology.

As I prepare to graduate I feel certain that I can integrate my past in the arts with a future addressing how civilization affects the environment. As an artist, my most recent work comprises layers of used materials adhered together. Pieces may contain old photos, notes, advertising, string, keys, and many other small treasures. They are often partially concealed, revealing aspects such as texture and shape; often something of a pattern occurs.

Along with graduation I am simultaneously preparing to move to Portland. Though I will miss my Eugene, I am excited for the opportunities that await me in my new home. I have been utilizing the internet to become familiar with the organizations I would like to become involved with.

This project with LNPB combines just the elements I have described above. Though it will be difficult in terms of the distance, I feel that I can also act as an agent for spreading the message further. The piece or pieces I in envision creating for this project involve plastic bags and my sewing machine. I became aware of the magnitude of waste from plastic bags as well as the alternatives, while writing a proposal for a plan to implement a per bag fee for the city of Eugene as a final paper for a class. Part of my effort over the duration of this art project will be to find out how to take my plan, in the form of a student paper and submit it to the city as a genuine proposal.

Post-project statement:
What an incredible journey the last three months of my life have been. For me the LNPB project feels like it has been a miserable failure. Interestingly, that is both what is bad and what is good about it. I realized that given my present lifestyle, as a full-time student and single-parent, I couldn’t reduce my plastic consumption much more than I already had. I asked myself why that was and I came to two separate conclusions.

The first was simple, I had already been making efforts in that area by using reusable cups and bags, and limiting purchases that include wasteful packaging. The second was more illuminating, that alternatives to plastic containers and packaging are seldom made available. And, further, that there is limited access to bulk items that I could fill my own containers with. How did people get by before plastic packaging? All this reminded me that consumer sovereignty is one of the biggest jokes in capitalism. For each one of us, the choices we make as consumers are limited to the options that have been made available.

Where I experienced the most success was at cleaning and saving most all the plastic that came through my possession. As a result my experience of plastic packaging is very different than it was before. Keeping it and seeing it accumulate is brilliant! Because I compost, recycle and seldom eat meat, I had almost no trash for the three months of this project. Otherwise stated, almost all the trash my daughter and I produce is non-recyclable plastic packaging. Non-recyclable where? Curbside. We found that we can actually take much of it where it can be recycled at the waste transfer station in Eugene and at another location in Portland. This begs the question why is this not available with home recycling service?

Creating these little art pieces has been inspiring. My daughter and I sifted through all the materials and had lots of fun exploring the possibilities. The pieces I present here are what I imagined from the beginning; quilt squares of sorts, made from plastic, thread and a few treasures mixed in. It was interesting to use a sewing machine on plastic bags, a very different tactile experience. I chose to use dark red thread throughout the pieces for effect, red as a warning symbol.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this project. Thank you LNPB!

Dana Fenwick - Portland, Oregon

Pre-project statement: Using found object in art has always been one of my interests. While studying fiber art at University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 1998 non conventional art materials was a huge objective and challenge for many artists and art students. The baggage that re-appropriated objects carry with them becomes a conceptual medium in art. Found object art and reuse art have all but concept in common. Robert Rauschenberg was not making “Combines” to create awareness about excess waste in America. But maybe he helped people see garbage in a new way. I want to challenge myself to make art from common things that have beautiful forms but that we have become desensitized to from seeing them every day. My challenge is to transform the nuisance of detritus into a fulfilling art process and finally a fancy piece of art!

Post-project statement: This was a great challenge! My will power for challenging the main stream ebbs and flows. Some days its hard to focus on the more abstract larger picture of landfills, plastic leaching and water pollution. Other issues more immediately touching my life seem more urgent-lunch on the go, coffee to get thru a long work day or an unexpected stop the grocery store. Hopefully projects likes this will help raise enough awareness that the mainstream is eventually changed and so then it isn't so darn hard to be plastic free! I also felt challenged by the urge to make more plastic waste if that plastic just happened to fit my art project! Once I started focusing on making collage out of cut up coffee straws I wanted more coffee straws, of as many colors and sizes as possible...of course i resisted the urge!

Geri Jarvis - Portland, Oregon
Pre-project statement: I work full time at a profession I love, but I am equally as passionate about my love of arts and crafts in my non-working hours. I incorporate bottle caps in my art work. I think they are beautiful in their own right. The more I started working with them, the more I noticed them lying on the ground. It is distressing to me to see that, and I always pick them up. Over the last few years I have become more and more conscious of just how much of what I previously threw away could, and can be, recycled, and I am not just talking about recycled in to arts and crafts. I am open to the challenge of attempting to go plastic free, however, I am certain I will be challenged in two areas. The first is that I am an absolute yogurt freak! I do recycle every single yogurt container because I use them to mix resin. The second is that there is a certain type of bottle cap that I use in some of my art work, so I drink a lot of that particular product in order to use the lid.

Post-project statement: My statement is simple, this challenge is not.
What I have learned is that for me, at least some of the challenge is a matter of not being so lazy. As someone who works forty or more hours a week, plus at times a long commute, I am not left with the luxury of planning ahead for most purchases. I have always been a buy it as you need it type gal. At the beginning of the LNPB dare (as I call it) I was sure that I had it down. I went to the store and stocked up , for once planning ahead. I made sure not to buy anything in plastic bottles, jars, tubs, etc. Unfortunately, much to my dismay, as I began to open these products in the weeks that followed, I found that in some way or another almost all of them had plastic inside. Gasp! Sigh. And so I continue to look for alternatives. I do find myself planning ahead more, that’s for sure.

Regarding my plastic square, I was obviously inspired by the word “United.” Sadly these red, white and blue caps were all collected in a matter of days just by hanging around bottle return area’s. God Bless America and God Bless LNPB!

Lou Leelyn - Greenfield, Massachusetts

Pre-project statement: After starting my business, Lou's Upcycles, I began to hunger for other like-minded artisans; those who could combine art and environmental advocacy. I have been especially drawn to trashion artists. Since my medium is unrecyclable plastics, I am among those creators who take that which is destined for landfills and create functional and dynamic reusable items. I am already extremely aware of the amount of "stuff" I consume and waste and have estimated that I have saved close to 3, 000 bags, wrappers and unrecyclable plastics materials from heading to the trash can. Episode 5 and the no plastics pledge is a brilliant way to take it to the next level. Since taking the no plastics pledge in March, i have already had to problem solve how to live my life, run a business and eat without purchasing things made of plastics. My biggest challenge will be concerning plastic free art supplies and acquiring plastic free food choices. My portion of the "United" quilt will be a one of a kind quilted design using these plastics that i save from the landfills. My goal is to continue to create art and maintain the highest level of advocacy and awareness throughout my community, my state and my country. I am honored to be a part of this episode.

Cheryl Lohrmann—Returning—Portland, Oregon

This has been another great experience. It only gets better. Everyone needs to make
a square. It's hip to do so, and will wake you up!

Melissa Porter - Portland, Oregon

Pre-project statement: I have been working with recycled and found objects since 1997, although this is my first work primarily in plastic. This alone is enough to excite me, but a 3-month personal challenge, and a chance to do good for our planet… project trifecta! This episode comes at the perfect time, as avoidable waste has been on my mind lately. I work in an office building with an in-house coffee shop, and the amount of “disposable” plastic that flows through daily is overwhelming. I predict my biggest challenge will be at the grocery store… darn those little plastic lids! In addition to embracing the struggle to eliminate plastic for 3 months, I intend to channel my natural packrat tendencies into a dynamic piece of recycled art.

Post-project statement: These three months have been an eye-opener for me. I fully realized for the first time how “plasticful” my life was! What truly inspired my piece was the plastic waste casually accumulated by my coworkers. I used the plastic binding from reports, latte lids, fast food bags, and straws that piled up daily. The used straws I collected from just one person on a weekly basis made a very impressive/depressing mountain in my file drawer. This visual punch proved so powerful when I showed it to my coworkers that it has given me an idea for a new large scale project to educate the corporate community about “refreshment waste”.

Mollie Royer - Portland, Oregon

Pre-project statement:With her heart on her sleeve and a lightness to her steps, Mollie Royer is deeply inspired by LNPB's mission. Mollie welcomes new ideas and ways of seeing the world, especially those that make the world a better place. She knows that biggest challenge will be staying true to her intentions, even if that means some flaky skin and her favorite Trader Joe's cheese puffs.

Mollie hopes to create something specific to her experience here in Portland that
speaks to the moment she is living in and that relates to her broader connection
to her community. Mollie has the most experience with Photography and Printmaking, but hopes to use this opportunity to expand her artistic skills and flex
some unused muscles.

Jessica Wansart —Returning—Portland, Oregon

Kristialyn Young - Portland, Oregon

Pre-project statement: As a soft spoken and shy person, I rarely know how to raise my voice for what I believe in. I want to help the world become a better and more beautiful place, but I am afraid that when my children’s children grow up they will find an ugly planet with more concrete than jungle and more plastic than garden. I want to participate in this project because I have an easier time communicating through art; my voice is louder and I feel braver knowing that something I make will speak for me. For this project I intend to use fabric (from old t-shirts), paints, and stencils (made from plastics I might not be able to avoid), to depict my hopes for a beautiful and better world.

Post-project statement: When I started this project I was unaware of how difficult it would be to live without plastic. Plastic is just about everywhere. While there is a plastic option for almost everything, there isn't always an easy plastic-free one. Much of the difficulty in finding plastic-free options has to do with old habits and how conditioned to plastic our culture has become. For the art portion of this project I've created a piece that blends plastic together with domestic arts, in the way it has been integrated into our domestic lives; unless you look closely you barely notice it's there.