Freeport Gallery Revitalizes Waste into Art at Fashion Show

A Freeport art gallery is transforming discarded materials into vibrant works of art through a unique fashion show and exhibition. Meetinghouse Arts, in collaboration with Sidle House Gallery, is hosting the “Recollected and Reconfigured Runway” on October 17, 2023, at 6 p.m. This sold-out event will showcase the innovative clothing designs of local artist and designer Mandana MacPherson, who specializes in repurposed materials. The fashion show will also feature the creative works of artist Crystal Cawley, known for her use of paper, textiles, and other recycled materials.

Following the runway show, an exhibition titled “From Waste to Wonder: Reclaimed Art and Design” will open at Meetinghouse Arts on October 23, 2023, with a public reception. This exhibition will run until November 2, 2023, and will highlight the work of environmental artist Pamela “Posey” Moulton and sculptor Ian Trask, alongside MacPherson’s fashion designs and artworks.

In discussing the exhibition, Suzanne Watson, the executive director of Meetinghouse Arts, emphasized the importance of rethinking sustainability. “Having worked in environmental policy for many years, I’ve seen how often the conversation is framed by limits,” Watson stated. “These artists turn that conversation on its head, showing us that sustainability can be about imagination, joy, and possibility.”

Moulton, who is excited to unveil her contributions to the upcoming exhibition, has garnered attention for her “Pinkies” sculptures, which have been displayed in front of the Freeport Town Office since last fall. These sculptures are designed to spark conversations about how discarded materials can be reimagined and given new life. “I get Instagram messages and posts from people all over the world who are visiting Freeport,” Moulton shared. “Everyone has had a little personal anecdote to share about their relationship to the sculptures.”

For the “From Waste to Wonder” exhibition, Moulton is creating wall art using unraveled dogfish nets, featuring the guardian of eelgrass meadows, Zostera. She has sourced her materials from various locations, including a fisherman in Provincetown, Massachusetts, who provided her with an abundance of old nets, and the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation, which collects netting during beach cleanups.

MacPherson, who has been working with reclaimed materials since her college days at Brown University in 1984, will present knitwear and felted fabrics made from reclaimed wool. Some pieces incorporate materials from unfinished projects started by her late mother, who passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. “I am excited to have a full body of work to show,” MacPherson remarked.

One innovative aspect of MacPherson’s exhibition will be an inner tube material exchange station, where visitors can take an inner tube and learn how to create new items using QR codes on display. Additionally, some pieces showcased during the fashion show will be featured in the upcoming exhibition.

The exhibition will also include large glass installations made from blister packages for vegetables, created by Trask, a Bowdoin College graduate with a background in biology. His work emphasizes the artistic potential of discarded manufactured goods, transforming them into captivating pieces of art.

Moulton noted the diverse materials used by the artists and the unique perspectives they bring to the theme of reclamation. “We all work with such different materials, so it’d be very interesting to see how three different artists use completely different materials and how they are transformed,” she said.

Through events like the “Recollected and Reconfigured Runway” and the “From Waste to Wonder” exhibition, Meetinghouse Arts is not only showcasing artistic talent but also promoting a dialogue about sustainability and creativity in the face of waste.