Consumption and Waste
This six-month series investigated CONSUMPTION and WASTE: What we value, devalue, discard, consume, hide and reveal through our choices and actions. Our Artists/Activists included: Richard Jennings, Adrienne Barrett, Christie Green, Connie Schaekel, David Stafford and Anita Moss.
We offered locally cultivated produce and wild harvested game to celebrate and enjoy our local flavors, and enjoy the simple pleasure of eating together, acknowledging the flavor and value of hand harvested, home cooked food.
Richard Jennings of Earthwright Designs opened the series with his presentation and discussion: The Transformation of Waste, where we enjoyed interactive learning about wastewater recycling and soil-building utilizing human waste.
Series launch. Participants mingle and purchase radicle soil products. radicle space updates still in progress.
Listening to Richard’s talk.
In June, we enjoyed and learned from nutrition coach, paleo chef and food activist, Adrienne Barrett with interactive demonstration and tasting soups, salads and smoothies made from typically discarded parts of plants and animals.
Adrienne teaching, demonstrating, inspiring.
Pea shoots and tendrils from Christie Green’s garden made into pea green salad.
Garlic scapes from Christie Green’s garden made into garlic scape pesto….and eaten fresh and raw!
Elk livers from an elk wild harvested by Christie Green. Livers sauteed with shallots from Christie’s garden and local juniper berries made into a velvety pate.
Summer evening event. Cover crop in living canvas garden in front of radicle.
In July, Christie Green shared ideas about activating spaces of waste and neglect in the landscape. Vacant lots,
alleys, trash and recycling areas, storage sheds, unattractive views and “ugly”, unseen places offer opportunity to enliven, beautify and engage.
Local artist, Connie Schaekel, shared her sculptural pieces with us in August. We explored the wondrous and dangerously beautiful in unwanted, non-native, invasive and “pest” plant species. Connie weaves, erects, displays – and plays – with plants as unlikely, artful element reflecting cultural values of desire and disgust. Explore how whacking, staking, spraying and cursing plants reflects cultural control of other.
Connie’s cockle bur piece.
Connie’s herb drying piece, suspending herbs from Christie’s garden.
Herbs from Christie’s garden.
Garlic from Christie’s garden that she roasted and served with local bread that evening.
Event participants enjoy Connie’s charm and humor.
Local artist and political satirist, David Stafford, shared sharp wit and many forms of artistic activism at our September event: Engage the Absurd. Fossil fuel extraction and consumption, socioeconomic dominance and denial, politicians and the public inspire lively debate and comical cards, t-shirts and posters. Many visited David at the tableau de satire to engage in the absurd, the banal and humorously hopeful.
Event participants enjoying David’s posters.
A lively crowd. People could purchase postcards that David had made and addressed to local congress people. Many gathered around tables and wrote on the post cards, asking their representatives and senators, “What legacy will you leave?”
Loving David’s humor.
Anita Moss of UpCycle Fashion shared many of the Upcycle wares for our October event: ART WEAR. We enjoyed a fantastic fashion show and many unique items sewn by the women of UpCycle from scrap fabric.
Baby booties from scrap wool and upholstery.
Fashion show runway. Our models ranged in age from 8 to 68.
Mickey Crocker strutting an Upcycle jacket.
UpCycle skirts.
UpCycle zipper bracelets and necklaces.
UpCycle tooth fairy monsters from scrap pajama fabric.
Christie Green and Lolly Bair.
Many models…such radiance!