I turn corrugated boxes inside out to reveal the colors and textures hidden within.

Artist Statement

I have been concerned and involved with recycling since the sixties so I am not surprised to find myself creating with recycled materials. I enjoy catching people unawares with the beauty of our trash transformed.

One of my primary commitments is to working with recycled materials. I'm not averse to the occasional wander through an art store for something special or buying some new materials from time to time, but I like to make use of the scraps and discards of modern life. It's fun to search out these treasures and make good use of them in my work.

I am drawn to the subtle beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and humble. I enjoy transforming corrugated cartons and other discarded materials, into something that is both useful and beautiful. I want to help more people become sensitized to the possibilities of objects usually called “waste”.

Crushed and baled corrugated boxes; ready to be recycled into new boxes. But for Corrugated Art, I need to work with corrugated that has not yet been crushed.

I am fascinated with used packaging materials – when no longer pristine; they have begun to be more interesting. Most people see corrugated boxes as just plain brown but when I dissect and examine an ordinary box from within, a full spectrum of color may appear where once only brown was obvious.

After the death of my father, I didn't have him to make things for me so when I wanted a shadowbox, I went to the store to buy one. At the stores, the selection was shoddy and expensive! Soon after that, while shopping at my local Costco, I noticed the large sheets of corrugated and jumbo corrugated boxes there and I realized I could build my own shadowbox from corrugated cardboard. I chose corrugated as a plentiful and sturdy material that was simple to cut and manipulate. No sawdust was a big bonus!

So I made my first shadowbox and it was beautiful. BUT it soon became apparent that I had made a few mistakes... I looked at the problems and figured what was wrong so when I made the next one it was made better. Instead of singlewall corrugated, I used doublewall so it was sturdier. Living near the ocean and having all that moisture in the air, I sprayed it with a clear varnish to seal it. Other improvements evolved over time.

The early shadowboxes and clocks were built using corrugated only as the framework. I covered the frame with recycled or decorative papers, but soon found myself fascinated with the scraps – the thin slices and cross-sections that accumulated on my work table. I also loved the look of singleface corrugated that I found occasionally. Wanting to incorporate more of the interior corrugations, I finally figured out a method to peel off the top layer without leaving fuzz all over the ridges. Experimenting with these scraps and fascinated by the ever expanding variety of colors and ridge patterns, gradually my style of “Corrugated Mosaic” was born.

In the early years of Corrugated Art, I created mostly functional pieces: Clocks, Picture Frames, Lamps, Game boards and even a few tables. This reflected my earlier years working in mechanical engineering. But over time I've become more comfortable creating non-functional, contemporary art and fine craft. I have yet to make a corrugated teapot out of paper but I have made decorative paper plates that would not be appropriate at a picnic!

Corrugated Mosaic Construction Methods

Using a utility knife, straight edge, tweezers and white craft glue, I construct the foundation or framework for each piece from recycled corrugated cartons.

The primary surface embellishments are created in a contemporary style I call Corrugated Mosaic, which relies primarily on the subtle color of the paper itself, plus the texture and shadows created by the corrugations.

To expose the corrugations to best effect, I peel away the surface layer of paper.

The peeled corrugated is then cut into pieces which I use as the tesserae of the mosaic design. I also cut thin cross sections through the corrugations, which I use to separate the peeled corrugated pieces.

At the final stage, I spray each piece with clear, acrylic varnish to protect against moisture.

For additional information, there are a number of Frequently Asked Questions explained on the HOME page.

Artistic Influences

Louise Nevelson, who picked up the detritus from the streets & alleys of New York City and created amazing sculptures with what she found. She then painted her sculptures a single color in order to unify all the separate pieces.

Frank Gehry, who designed comfortable, sturdy and recyclable furniture made from corrugated materials in the 1970's. He went on to become known for his ultra-modern building designs.

Tramp Artists of the 20th Century, who created something from nothing, which they traded for a meal, or other basic necessities, in order to survive the Great Depression. Most remain anonymous and, if alive today, they would be astonished to know that their work is now worth a small fortune.

View Luci's CV