Shari Mendelson has had extensive success in the art world to say the least. She has fulfilled the art director position at Time Inc. as well as has been teaching for 30 years across universities in New York, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. She is best known for her bottle work where she cuts and repurposes broken up glass pieces.
Her statement of inspiration is what initially caught my eye while sifting through various websites and articles:
“I had been making art out of sheet plastic that I was purchasing. In my non-art life I recycle everything possible, compost and consider myself an environmentalist. I realized I needed to make my art practice more in keeping with my values. With so much plastic littering the streets of NYC, there was no need to purchase new plastic.”
Mendelson's introspective discovery is what fuels many artists to begin to upcycle. I can't help but think if everyone in the world compared their habits with their values, would there be a surfacing of increased reflection and accountability? Even though it can be difficult and daunting, coming to these types of realizations have the power to monumentally shift your perspective of the world. Not only that but it could give you the opportunity to see beauty in the most damaged things.
