Your Trash May be Art

The Folk Tree Collection presents The Art of Recycling, Aug. 28 to Sept. 25, featuring the work of approximately 20 artists whose materials are found and used objects and potential discards.

Several of the artists create unusual home accessories, giving new life to otherwise non-utilitarian items, while others present more sculptural statements with surprising juxtapositions of various recycled elements. Among the recyclables around which the pieces on view are designed are wooden spoons, computer chips, tin, magazine pages, aluminum cans, bottle caps, books, industrial parts, cat food tins, paper, coffee stirrers and gum wrappers.Vastly different imperatives motivate the individual artists invited to participate in this show.

Todd Muffatti's background in scene design provided the initial inspiration for his whimsical architectural assemblages. He rescues all manner of objects from thrift stores, garage sales, the beach, and the castoffs of others, and transforms them into miniature building facades reflecting styles from around the world and throughout history. Whether using birch bark found at his father's farm, clothespins, spools, or coat hangers, his interpretations are charming and unique.

Rosemary Boost, also an assemblage artist, contributes two pieces, The Promise, which includes a bird's nest containing small bones, and Lovers Poems, constructed from a metal notebook and a knife with a bone handle. These works are more somber and very personal. In a purely whimsical vein, Aaron Foster shows his decorative flower series, wall pieces fabricated with vintage license plates and mounted on painted pine.

For those more interested in function, Rhonda Kuhlman and Chris Ake create funky home accessory designs with a folk art flair. On view are some of their retablo style mirrors, incorporating bottle caps dating from the 1930s to 1970s. Or, there is the work of Jim Rosenau, who gives the term bookshelf a new, more literal meaning. His shelves are actually made of books destined for the trash and recycling centers.

A reception is scheduled for Aug. 28, f rom 2 to 6 p.m. The Folk Tree Collection is located at 199 S. Fair Oaks Ave. For more information, call 626-793-4828.