Olympia Dumpster Divers are everywhere! While Ruby Re-Usable is getting ready to debut 3 plastic bag and tape sculptures at Art on the Ave in Tacoma, other ODD-types have been spotted with their recycled wares in Olympia:

Pat Tassoni is an amazing man. Not only is he a community activist, the director of the Thurston County Tenants Union, and a contributer to Works in Progress, but he is an artist that uses recycled metal stuff like hub caps to make desk lamps, clocks, and other futuristic-looking objects, which you can check out here. His ability to turn old remote controls into a wallet, a key holder, a switch plate and even cabinet draw pulls, won some contest in ReadyMade Magazine and will be included in the Aug/Sept issue. Pat was recently selling his wares at the Downtown Neighborhood Association street fair, where he told Ms Re-Usable: “Art should be shiny.” And we agree; just ’cause its recycled doesn’t mean it has to be all rusty and forlorn looking.

At the OlyBazaar, which was hosted by Black Front Gallery this month, I met another wonderful artisan working with recycled materials, specifically, bottle caps and candy wrappers turned into jewelery and other neat stuff. And while I didn’t get her name, she did give me a nice compliment AND a neat-o bracelet woven from colorful Starburst candy wrappers.

If you are an artist working with recycled materials, or know someone who does, and would like a mention on Olympia Dumpster Divers, leave some info on comments: