Bobbi Mastrangelo’s Art and Community Involvement focus on Caring for Our Planet Earth. This is the First Blog in a three part series on EARTH CARE.
“When the People Care”
Why would anyone want to incorporate litter into an art work? When Bobbi Mastrangelo began her manhole cover art theme, she used to sweep the litter off the manhole covers before taking photos or doing rubbings. Well, the truth is that adding litter called attention to the treatment of our streets and our Planet Earth. So she composed this poem and embossed it into her hand made paper.
By now, you probably know that Mastrangelo’s art theme is based on Manhole Covers, Water Covers, Grates and Drains. Not only does her art document the visual history of our streets, but it carries an Environmental Message as well: To Conserve and Protect Our Precious Resources.
She created a walk around assemblage: “People Start Pollution: People Can Stop It.”
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Part One: Cigarette Butt Litter. Cigarette butts are being dumped from a car ash tray. Cigarette butts are actually cellulose acetate, which is man made and doesn’t biodegrade. Light weight butts easily get caught up in runoff from storms. Tons of butts land in open spaces posing a health problem for birds and other wildlife for up to 12 years. The cumulative effect of these toxic chemicals can pollute water. |
 Medical Waste Pollution |
Part Two: Simulated Medical Waste. Mastrangelo used port wine and catsup to simulate the dried blood, but the waste looked so convincing that a mother pulled her son away from the assemblage, scolding:. “Don’t touch that! You will get a disease!”
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Part Three: People Can Stop Pollution. They will clean littered areas or better yet provide waste cans, paint and plant to improve environments. The Keep America Beautiful Symbol is displayed on the waste can. Water Valve Covers are incorporated in the bases of One and Three. |
| Pollution Solution |
Mastrangelo also expressed concerns with conserving water in her sculptures and works on hand made papers. Ten of her “Water Cover” works are featured on the website of WEAD (Women Environmental Artists Directory). Her “Grate works of Art” have been exhibited in many important venues from Water Authorities in NY State to Florida, The New York Hall of Science, “Listen to the Earth” at Hamilton College and “Best of the Best” at the Mayor’s Gallery City Hall, Orlando in 2014.
Bobbi Mastrangelo has garnered many prizes for her art, but she is especially proud to have been one of the eleven finalists for the first-ever Environmental Art Prize sponsored by the NRDC National Resources Defense Council for the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Earth Day. http://www.nrdc.org/nabicontest/
7 replies on “#Mastrangelo’s Environmental Art #Earth Care: Part One (Earth Day is Every Day).”
The “When the People Care” collagraph on hand made paper is another meaningful expression of concerns of our time. It is a “Grate” piece of art, Bobbi, I do like it very much.
When I see this series of yours, I would like to schedule a visit to your studio.
Gratefully yours,
Gaby
Hi Bobbi,
That’s fantastic. Congratulations!
The link http://www.nrdc.org/nabicontest/ doesn’t work on your blog.
All the best,
Renee Phillips CEO
Manhattan Arts International
http://www.manhattanarts.com
Thanks Renee,
I think I fixed it. A person has to click on my name in the Finalists Box.
Happy Earth Day!
Regards,
Bobbi
Great job, Bobbi! Love your work and nice blog.
Continue to help keep the world smiling with your talent!
(((HUGS))) Bonnie
Thanks Bobbi for all the good and beautiful work you do. Litter is extremely annoying to me, too, particularly cigarette butts. I volunteer in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park and would you believe? Even there by the garden where I pull weeds for a couple of hours a week, cigarette butts are carelessly thrown. I’m strong on recycling of anything possible, too.
Keep up your good work!
Sincerely,
Nelda
Dear Bobbi, You have such wealth of imagination picking from everyday items to artistically capture the true image or tell its story. Most interesting to look at, and read of your achievements and awards, in the recent additional years.
Keep at your artwork, much to our fascination!
Rosie
I am really impressed with your writing skills as well as
with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize
it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice quality writing,
it is rare to see a nice blog like this one these days.