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Melanie Billark

Works

  • By The Lake was created during a week long artist residency at Artscape Gibraltar Point in Toronto, ON. This self directed artist residency came with the intent of only bringing hand tools while creating an installation using only found objects from the island and beachfront. This installation was created by using scraps and left over supplies from Artscapes communal closet and wood shop, plastic particles and sand from the beach and found charcoal from the fire pits.

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  • This work was driven by the infamous garbage patch or plastic island in the Great Pacific. It is proven that our Great Lake have the same amount of plastic particles per million as the Great Pacific Ocean. This installation is made up of plastic particles collected from Sunnyside Beach in Toronto, cleaned, sorted and arranged within the gallery to create a sense of awareness to this growing global concern. The numbers made from micro-plastics and nurdles within the centre of the work represent the coordinates of Lake Ontario.

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About

Melanie has always been the happiest when immersed in nature and lost in the forest. She is a Toronto-based multi-disciplinary artist creating work that surrounds principles of ecology. Her work strives to create awareness to various ecological issues by creating site-specific installations within public spaces.

Melanie has an advanced Diploma in Crafts and Design from Sheridan College, and has Obtained her BFA in Sculpture and Installation from OCADU. She has exhibited her work across the GTA and US. Melanie has won a number of awards for her work including the Climate Arts Award in 2019 and The OALA Ground Award in 2017.

Melanie not only has a passion for sustainability and eco-living she also is passionate about art education and teaching children about sustainable art practices. Melanie is so excited to be a part of the A Greener Future Team, helping to clean up our environment, while creating awareness, and making art!

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