Back in 2016, I made an underwater scene from pool noodles, plastic sheeting, frisbees, PVC pipes, and rip-stop kite fabric for my video for “Living in Symbiosis.” At the end, I had a whole bunch of nonbiodegradable stuff to try and reuse, recycle or donate.  Lesson learned!

These days, I do my best to use only materials that are recyclable, reclaimed, reused and/or edible. I’ve made bees from lemons, Serengeti grass from manila envelopes, pollen from dyed cotton balls, and  a tree from packing materials and a discarded umbrella.

Staying within those guardrails activates both artistic and engineering impulses. It also allows me to illustrate things that would be difficult to capture on video, like a plant sprouting from the soil or a queen bee directing a worker to go get pollen. And, you know, a paperbag cheetah eating a construction paper steak is less triggering than, you know, a  real cheetah eating a freshly caught gazelle. 

In the process, I feel like I discovered an aesthetic that is bright, fun, and  uniquely mine. Many of these clips make it into my stage shows and I love hearing kids laugh when my paperbag birds dance on screen and start singing, or my construction paper fruit bat flies through the rainforest. 

Some of those kids are probably thinking, “I could do that!” Yes, my friends, you can. And I hope you do.