The Story of "Uplifting"

After I paid my bill for having my floors carpeted, I noticed someone throwing away beautiful samples of marble, glass, porcelain.... just exquisite stuff being placed in the dumpster outside.  

"Why are you throwing that away?", I asked.  

"It's discontinued."

I walked back in and asked the owners if they might like to show the public that they sell more than carpet.  I suggested that the ugly graffiti wall facing the street might have a mosaic mural made of all the discontinued tile.

They were skeptical...not understanding how I could make unique art installations from scraps.

So... I went home with a few of their supplies and came back with an example:

Still available for sale! - though I've grown rather fond of it so I don't care if it doesn't.  Talk about creative gift ideas- know anyone who loves the blues? 

  The crystalized glass was just gathered from a car wreck that happened in Ashland that week and I thought the broken glass was actually beautiful.  Anyway, to continue...

"Impressive, but how do we know you can do a large scale work?"  

"We have this blue awning that is in disrepair. We were going to order another fabric sign but it's outrageously priced."  

I suggested we used leftover material from their jobs and protect it with a exterior sealant.

Thus, the "prejob to the job" to show my mettle.

As a publicly visible work, there were quite a few stipulations:  

No religion

No advertising

No Offensiveness

No Affiliations

No No No...

It took a year of collecting tile while I thought of a design to inspire yet not offend in any way yet advertise what they had to offer without being an ad.

Community,Catch 22, Coincidences,Theft, and Serenading

art installations

A story of overcoming obstacles with perseverance and fortuitous circumstances

Written and illustrated by the artist of Uplifting, Krysta Bannis

creative gift ideas