One evening last week, during one of Jim's end-of-the-day "de-stresser" forays into Forest Park, he happened upon artist Ifeoma Anyaeji working in a grove of trees just east of the Grand Basin. He learned that the artist, who hails from Nigeria, is a graduate student at WU's Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. Read more about Ifeoma's impressive background on her website. The artist wound up in St. Louis as a result of a Google search for high-quality art programs in the U.S.
Recycling is Ifeoma's theme, and twice a week (Mondays & Wednesdays) she leaves her studio space at the Lewis Center and heads to the park where she weaves plastic bags into roping for her art pieces or to crochet into purses (see photo on website here). In her native country Ifeoma also made sandals with crocheted toppers, but in an email she explained that she can't find the proper glue she needs here in St. Louis.
Ifeoma's creative approach to re-purposing this ubiquitous material demonstrates that there are other ways to recycle rather than a commercial industrial approach (like making more of the same!) Isn't it amazing that a string of plastic bags, one of the scourges of the environment, can actually look lovely strung from a tree? And that an artist from Nigeria is able to create a teachable moment using beautiful Forest Park as a backdrop.
For information on Ifeoma's purses look for her in Forest Park (Mons. and Weds., weather permitting) or contact her at i_and_g2000@yahoo.com.