Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Tara Donovan

Tara Donovan uses everyday manufactured materials such as Styrofoam cups, drinking straws, and Scotch tape to create large scale sculptures that often have a biomorphic quality. I'm completely mesmerized by her work.

Untitled, Styrofoam Cups, Hot Glue

Haze, Stacked Clear Plastic Drinking Straws

Nebulous, Scotch Tape

Untitled, Paper Plates, Glue

Aren't these pieces amazing?! Everyday, simple even discarded items are re-used and transformed into beautiful art forms. This kind of work make me see materials in a whole new way. I fell in love with art all over again.

{images via Ace Gallery}

70 comments:

evencleveland said...

I find her work so inspiring ... I keep hoping to stumble across an exhibition in person one of these days.

Jill said...

wow! this really is beautiful. when i was in school we had to create a light fixture using discarded/recycled items. i loved seeing the results.

A pretty nice little Saturday said...

I love these!! Thank you for posting this!

Anonymous said...

My GOSH! These are all unbelievably gorgeous. And you're so right: Reminiscent of natural figures and forms.

Krissy | Paper Schmaper said...

wow! I love it all, but the tape is awesome :)

Ann Marie said...

OK, this work is amazing. Just so cool. Makes me want to see what I can fashion out of some paper cups! :)

hmstrjam said...

yes i saw one of her plastic cup mountain ranges in chelsea, amazing what you can do with what you already have!

Cindy said...

tara's work is freakin' unbelievable! the top one with the styrofoam cups suspended from the ceiling - whoa!

Uncle Beefy said...

That's so weird...I made a couple of pieces just like these this morning. Y'know...I was bored. ;)

Good mornin', BREATHTAKING! LOOOOOOVE!

Nihal said...

Transforming discards into beautiful objects is not only magic for art, but a great contribution for a go-green world. Tks for bringing this, Di. Becoming eco user is very important in today's world. You give a support on this way, great!

inkWELL Press said...

This work is so amazing, I'm speechless.

Newburgh Restoration said...

Wow, I must say that is very interesting and COOL!

SimplyGrove said...

So stinken cool!

paula said...

very fun.

Couture Carrie said...

Breathtaking! Really amazing pieces!

xoxox,
CC

Anonymous said...

Wow. Wow!! I am completely speechless. These are awesome!

porter hovey said...

Ohhh! They're just so magical --- sooo beautiful.

katy elliott said...

wow so pretty!

Netty said...

This
is
mad
creative.

I love this!

www.neonpolish.com

Julia said...

GENIUS!

Megan @ Pink O'Clock said...

so beautiful and ethereal! love!

Anonymous said...

BEAUTIFUL!

Deb Oh said...

Mesmerizing, indeed! Thanks for sharing!!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh - these are stunning! They remind me of this motorcycle sculpture made entirely out of safety pins!

http://thegoodsdesign.blogspot.com/2008/09/grandma-had-yard-sale-part-deux.html

Ms Unreliable said...

So pretty! I love her work with straws, who would have thought little tubes of plastic could be so darn pretty?!

Jan said...

You know that you are getting to know someone's style when... I saw these the other day and almost emailed them to you. I knew Pleasie would like this.

vicki archer said...

Fantastic work - such great images, xv.

summer said...

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!
wow.
that is ridiculously amazing.

Esti said...

I'm speechless... It doesn't get any better...

Tina { Luphia Loves... } said...

wow, they're stunning!

aimee said...

WOW! i'm so impressed by her ability to transform something so utilitarian into such masterpieces!

Rachel Follett said...

Her work is out of this world! I am totally mesmerized.

SandraRee said...

Amazing! Who would of thought? Great find! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh yes! My professor showed me this and I love it! If one can make beauty out of tape and straws... they are beyond creative! Thanks for sharing! :)

raining sheep said...

Those are such stunning sculptures; so ethereal. Thank you so much for posting such loveliness.

drollgirl said...

this is simply fantastic! thank you! and love yer blog!

erin@designcrisis said...

Wow! I absolutely love this! Would love to see some of these pieces in person... I bet they're even more amazing.

Cassie said...

Add my WOW to the pile. Gorgeous-looking stuff.

limonana said...

ooooo...these are incredible works! so dream-like...

Ms. Katee/e-polishblog said...

I am mesmerized too!! Thanks for sharing. Amazing stuff.

yasmine said...

they're so dreamy looking!

Joyce said...

WOW.... incredible! Talk about recycling into beautiful art! Thanks for sharing.

Laura said...

These are so beautiful, I love "paper plates", the layers and ripples. Thanks for sharing :)

Holly said...

WOW!

Unknown said...

oh. my. god. i can't even believe that a person made all this stuff! incredible!

Vana said...

you always find the coolies artists! This is super!

dee said...

Those are out of control gorgeous! And I love that she's using styrofoam. It's nice that she found a good use for something that would otherwise clog up a landfill!

Anonymous said...

I love her work! I got to see one of her pieces at the MOMA a few years back. It was one of her scotch tape pieces and it was amazing!

Designers' Brew said...

wow, biomorphic... you don't say! What an imagination it takes to look at a styrofoam cup or a paper plate and see the potential for things like that. Incredible!

simplesong said...

amazing! i love all the whites but such rich texture.

Victoria said...

Pure genius. These blow me away!

Leciawp said...

Wow - this is inspirational! I'm going to have to remember to link to this for Earth Day.

Anonymous said...

Wow---I absolutely can't believe these are made from such mundane materials. They look almost alive!

Fifi Flowers said...

Those are truly AMAZING! If you didn't tell us what they were made of.. I would have no clue... thanks for sharing... FAB post!
ENJOY!
Fifi

Unknown said...

absolutely awesome!!

Unknown said...

Wow that is really beautiful. How inspirational. Amazing what one can do with really basic stuff!

Carrie said...

I love the paper plates sculpture...

Bonbon Oiseau said...

these are amazing...and very inspirational...like big billowy puffs of not what you expect them to be!

kat said...

Awesome from arbitrary!

Stella said...

Amazing!
Beautiful art forms!

jae said...

Wow! The way this person thinks is beyond imaginative and the patience they must have!

Anonymous said...

I'm catching up, finally!
These works of art are truly amazing, completely gorgeous. Thank you for sharing them!

seesaw designs said...

this is AMAZING! Love your blog!

please sir said...

WOW - so glad you enjoyed her work - it is quite amazing!

get zapped said...

Truly remarkable! Stunning in its complexity and yet it appears simple in some way.

Elise of Argyle Whale said...

Wow! I had forgotten about this artist who I'd seen some time ago. Thanks for rekindling my amazement!

a pretty pill said...

jaw droppingly amazing! i would love to study her process.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful work, made all the more so for the artist's use of materials.

Courtney said...

These pieces are absolutely incredible! The texture alone captivates me, then add in the color and the materials... wow. Beautiful.

Dottie said...

these are wonderful. i saw a similar straw installation at anthropologie, hmmm. wonder where they got the idea.

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