AFTER HAVING BEEN DISPLAYED in Portland, St. Louis, Las Vegas and around California, a colorful cacophony of cardboard is currently clustered on Callow in Bremerton.
This impressively large collection of sculptures built from nearly all recycled materials shows how stressful events affect an artist. It’s called ‘Upcycled Garden.’ It’s creation started during the Covid lockdown, when Daniel (“Attaboy”) Seifert—a California artist, co-founder of the contemporary art magazine Hi-Fructose and founder of the international ‘Game Of Shrooms’ global mushroom-themed public art project—was coping with neurological conditions, including post car crash PTSD.
He found it soothing to transform cardboard from any available source. The original packages—pizza boxes, Covid tests, light bulbs, etc.—can be seen on the inside of the sculptures which are painted with mostly spray paint and house paint remnants.
What started as an unplanned pastime with little concern for permanence revealed itself to be a fascinating conglomeration, as it grew into dahlia-like mounds and chandeliers of fuchsia-like flowers.
Local artist Danielle Rimbert has long found inspiration and validation from Hi-Fructose magazine, where she learned of the touring exhibition. She runs the Rimbert Illustration art space on Callow Ave. With no prior acquaintance, she emailed Seifert to ask if his work could make a stop in her Bremerton space… and was accepted! It would be the traveling exhibit’s first showing in Washington state. Hurray!
That euphoria was soon replaced by trepidation: how to get the fragile monster exhibit from where it was on display in Portland to her studio in Bremerton?
The original U-Haul truck had to be replaced by a much larger one on moving day. The exhibit was packed as carefully as possible into the truck and overflow car and driven here, all in one day. Since mid-August, Danielle has been steadily reassembling and positioning the components.
Each site’s installer has some freedom setting up the display, which includes making minor repairs, but Attaboy is frequently consulted.
Rimbert Illustration has ample room to host this exhibition: it’s building was formerly the McGavin’s Bakery factory. Danielle divides this industrial space roughly into quarters: a quarter with one window front is a place to sell her art, the other window front is a community gallery, and the rest is an event space.
She changes the community gallery’s theme and contents each month, although this month the space is entirely occupied by the Upcycled Garden. Throughout the year, all local artists are invited to show work that matches the theme. Her space hosts public classes and events, too. She holds painting classes for all ages and offers one-of-a-kind designs that students can personalize. She also hosts art classes led by other artists.
Plus monthly live music events in an intimate setting and regular dance classes in addition to the monthly group show openings and the Callow Makers Market on First Fridays.
So, even if you miss the Upcycled Garden, you will find many future creative events there. // LORI BIER
UPCYCLED GARDEN is open free to the public from 5-8:30 p.m. Sept. 6 and available for private viewing thru the month for $10. Contact Danielle at 360.536.0681 or rimbertillustration@gmail.com for appointments.
