I work with fragments of consumer culture—materials designed to persuade, circulate,
and disappear—because they carry the stories, excess, and visual language of the
world we inhabit. Discarded vinyl street banners, once used to advertise fleeting
moments and destined for the landfill, become charged material in my practice: physical
evidence of our habits, desires, and environmental impact.
Through cutting, weaving, and reconstruction, I intervene in this cycle, transforming
commercial refuse into sculptural paintings with rhythm, presence, and narrative. The
grid brings order to chaos, while intentional disruptions—spirals and curves—pull
against its rigidity, creating tension between control and fluidity that mirrors the
material’s own transformation.
Fragmentation, layering, and repetition allow the work to shed its former identity and
take on a new one rooted in repair, reclamation, and revaluation. Inspired by
archaeological remnants and what civilizations leave behind, my work responds to the
reality that our era’s ruins will be plastic and vinyl that refuse to decompose. The act of
weaving becomes symbolic—binding fragments into unity and suggesting resilience,
connection, and meaning reclaimed from what has been discarded.
Ultimately, the work translates environmental concern into visual poetry, challenging the
throwaway mindset of contemporary life and proposing renewal as a lasting legacy.
I work with fragments of consumer culture—materials designed to persuade, circulate,
and disappear—because they carry the stories, excess, and visual language of the
world we inhabit. Discarded vinyl street banners, once used to advertise fleeting
moments and destined for the landfill, become charged material in my practice: physical
evidence of our habits, desires, and environmental impact.
Through cutting, weaving, and reconstruction, I intervene in this cycle, transforming
commercial refuse into sculptural paintings with rhythm, presence, and narrative. The
grid brings order to chaos, while intentional disruptions—spirals and curves—pull
against its rigidity, creating tension between control and fluidity that mirrors the
material’s own transformation.
Fragmentation, layering, and repetition allow the work to shed its former identity and
take on a new one rooted in repair, reclamation, and revaluation. Inspired by
archaeological remnants and what civilizations leave behind, my work responds to the
reality that our era’s ruins will be plastic and vinyl that refuse to decompose. The act of
weaving becomes symbolic—binding fragments into unity and suggesting resilience,
connection, and meaning reclaimed from what has been discarded.
Ultimately, the work translates environmental concern into visual poetry, challenging the
throwaway mindset of contemporary life and proposing renewal as a lasting legacy.
--Shelley Heffler