Green City Project Eco-Art Contest (a photo essay)

Green City Project’s Eco-Art Contest was celebrated at SOMAR Gallery on March 21, 1999. Thirteen Middle and High Schools in San Francisco participated by submitting over 75 eco-art and recycled art entries. Prizes were given out for 18 entries, some of which were collaborative class projects. Prizes and refreshments were graciously donated by University Art Supply, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Odwalla, Ultimate Cookie and Rainbow Grocery.

The one-day gallery exhibit was judged by prominent San Francisco artists and attended by over 50 people. Some of the winning entries will be exhibited at the Patagonia store at Northpoint and Hyde, in San Francisco, for the month of April.

We are proud to present below nine photos of the Eco-Art Gallery event and selected winning entries.

The Eco-Art Education + Action outreach program and gallery exhibit was coordinated and curated by Green City Project’s Eco-Art specialist, Julianne Skai Arbor, M.A., M.S..

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A bird’s eye view of the exhibit at SOMAR Gallery. Floor Mural created by the class of Gloria R.Davis Middle School.

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Visitors to the Gallery admire the winning entry for originality by Dana Flores of Live Oak School, "Nirvana", which recycled scraps of pieces of paper and a cigar box, to create a narrative on Kurt Cobain.

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Note the hanging paper mache rabbits, winning best collaborative entry by the class of McAteer High School. In the background is "Bleach Bottle Babylon" a collaborative entry by students of Wallenberg High School, which won for Most Humorous Entry. Along the back walls are 12 bark paintings on recycled grocery bags created by the class of Ida B.Wells High School.

Close up of a bark painting, with an Australian Aboriginal design, created by a student from Ida B Wells High School.

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Visitors and students admire recycled art collages and sculptures in the gallery. See next two frames for detail photos of winning entries.

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Etsuko Sakimura, jewelry artist from Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, won the prize for Most Creative Use of Materials. She created this necklace from found metal objects.

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This Robot won Best Sculpture with Found Objects, created by Natasha, Justin and Lisa of the Chinese American School.

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Sadako Chinen of Thurgood Marshall High School stands next to her winning entry for Best Sculpture with cardboard, entitled "Painter’s World".

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Best of Show went to Jessica Hsaing from McAteer High School for this corrugated cardboard marionette, entitled "Fantoccini".

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The original announcement for the Eco-Art Contest:

What is Eco-Art?

Eco-art is about your environment and your community. It reflects a connection to the places we live. Eco-art addresses local issues as well as larger global concerns such as recycling, water quality, pollution, native plants and animals and many more.

Who can enter the contest?

How to start?

When is the contest?

Need information or an entry form?

Update on the Eco-Art Contest (January 27, 1999)

Classroom presentations to encourage entries are currently underway, and judging will take place the week of March 15, 1999. A celebration featuring the entries will take place March 21 at SOMAR Gallery at 934 Buchanan Street in San Francisco from 2-4 PM. Entries will later be exhibited in San Francisco at Ft. Mason Center, Patagonia (North Beach), Cafe Abo (Mission District), and more locations to be announced later.