I am an artist who has always aimed to ‘reduce-reuse-recycle’ and thus am drawn to and inspired by found objects, old rusty metal, what others consider to be "trash" and items that I see the potential in that are free or cheap to acquire (like .79 a pound goods at the Goodwill outlet downtown) that are just waiting to be transformed. I aim to buy used or recycled materials as much as possible in my work utilizing items from my own stash, dumpster finds, demolition sites, mail, packaging, anything free, and supplies from secondhand community resources such as the Habitat for Humanity Restore, the Upcycle Exchange, the St. Louis Teacher's Recycle Center, and any thrift store. I enjoy the ‘story’ that is created of each element coming together for a collective new identity, adding as much dimension and interest as the visuals themselves.

I take pride in the parallel between my part in the process of giving new life and a new identity to a discarded material and the redemption of lives by Jesus Christ. I am honored as an artist even to mimic with natural objects the supernatural work of my God on the spirits and souls of mankind as He trades beauty for ashes:

To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
Isaiah 61:3 New King James Version (NKJV)

I delight in my roles as both ‘rescuer’ and ‘decomposer’ in the ecosystem like a mushroom making nutrients available once again for new life. I have used a wide variety of techniques to accomplish this end ranging all the way from welding steel to making paper. My favorite media to work in are fashion, sculptural collage, and furnishings. I most often create functional artwork, but also make wall pieces that are purely decorative. I enjoy the endless discovery of contrasting and coordinating textures and colors and this is often a key theme in my work.

Portfolio: www.marygalofre.blogspot.com
Contact: mary.galofre@gmail.com