Yellow Waterfall  Polyethylene  96 x 15 8″  $2500

My creative process evolves with my surroundings.  Currently, I have been analyzing and studying the global impact of the unsustainable medium of plastics.  One of my tasks as curator/publisher of High Art Fridays (HAF), the online international artist platform, is to listen to what global/local artists are saying about their communities.   Thus, HAF began, “plastic trash into art” project, which features artists who have answered the call of the earth. I have been exhibiting this collection throughout Northeast Ohio regions: CAN Triennial 2018; Rooms to Let 2018 and 2019; and Firefish 2018 and 2019.

“Yellow Water” comprises woven shavings of yellow polyethylene; these were the remnants collected from construction sites in my community.  The local gas company is replacing the old steel gas pipes with polyethylene pipes.  The color yellow has been an ongoing thesis in my current plastic installation projects, symbolizing warning, or caution.

My current work addresses the needs of our environment and the challenges that are associated with that call.    Hyper consumerism is a driving force behind many of our current social and environmental ills, including plastic waste.  How do we begin a dialog to address these issues?  I realize that to achieve positive results; there must ensue many challenging community-centered conversations and prodding to bring about favorable outcomes.  To change to way, we think and live will be a difficult nut to crack.  These challenging community encounters are at the core of the movement that I hope to bring to light. My art installations have to ability to captivate an audience, drawing them into a more profound purpose. Art can be the “hook” to bring about the desired results.

Ron Shelton