Re: New
Art by
Ethan Machell

Artist reception Saturday, June 20th 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

An artist’s role is to challenge their viewer’s perception. Over the last year and a half I have been focusing on developing a process of turning the cardboard and junk mail we discard into clay. The clay is then used to create visual statements that underline the nature of our throwaway culture. Elevating the commonly discarded packaging material is an important part of my intended perception shift. Taking the cardboard and junk mail and adding wood glue as a binder returns it closer to its origin - wood. Why just take something and discard it, when it can be given a new life and meaning? 

When future archeologists look back at our culture, we may appear as a society that worships garbage. The amount of packaging that an everyday American goes through is excessive, to say the least. The goal is to create objects that appear to be relics from a time long past, but are actually relics from our tragically wasteful American experience. 

My intention is not to depress, but create awareness, joy, and optimism through the use of unconventional materials. Nature is at the forefront of my work. The purpose is to remind people of the complex systems in nature that we are intrinsically tied to, and are hurting, with the waste that we create.

Now is the time for change, and change only happens through awareness and action. If people would start to see the excess and detriment from our desire for immediate gratification, maybe they would take notice of all the waste that is intentionally created to be discarded.