Current Team Members:
Nicky Watts, Producer, Lead Artist, Conceptual Development, Nicky Watts Studios, Project Location Las Vegas: I started working with the idea of recycled paper sculptures while living in Chicago winter 2008. One test was made using a seamstress doll to alter the form of the paper. It was a huge mess in my living room for weeks. Many months later, in Las Vegas, a company was to commission me for creative portraits to hang in their office. I pitched an idea that brought together conservation, togetherness of people, and Las Vegas. The idea was a little too creative for their taste and they never followed through with the commission. Those images were stuck in my head. They were burned in there…weeks later I kept thinking about them... that was the birth of The Recycled Paper Sculpture Series, later to be known as Wear Recycle.
Patricia Blauvelt, Conceptual Development, Freelance Writer/Editor, Nation Wide: Tricia's role has been very important for Wear Recycle. For over a year, she helped to translate my ideas into understandable language for the rest of the world. This was not an easy task and I was not an easy person to understand. I’m not sure anyone else could have done it with any more precision and clarity as Tricia did. She asks the right questions and listens carefully to pull out the understandable answers from nonsense.
Brent Holmes, Graphic Designer, Barfing Rainbows, Las Vegas, NV: Let me first say that I love Brent and his family. He is the sexiest ankles in Las Vegas. In addition, Brent will be doing all the graphic design work for the Nice Never Lasts; Wear Recycle Poster Show with Gia Ray and Brent Holmes. I am so looking forward to being forced to see/talk to Brent in the near future to get this work done. And his personal design work are hilarious.
Kyana Holzman, Artist, K-Tuff and Dermafilia, Oakland, CA: Kyana is the contributing artist for the Nice Never Lasts; Wear Recycle Poster Show. We met through a good mutual friend from Massachusetts (our home grounds). We only met a few times before she invited me to expand Wear Recycle to Oakland. For Nice Never Lasts, Kyana is taking Wear Recycle photographs and recreating them in 2D form. They will then go to Brent Holmes to be designed into posters. When he's done, Kyana and I will then recreate the posters into huge multi-medium original artworks. So excited! I will actually be living with Kyana, her husband, and crew in their crazy artist warehouse setup in the artist neighborhood called the Volcan.
Valarie Zwahlen, Hair Stylist, Regis Salon, Henderson, NV: Out of each of the new team members, Val and I have had the most fun together. Val has not only created rocking hair styles for the Wear Recycle photo shoots, she has also took me under her wing to assure that I look edgy and presentable to the public. Most of the fantastic hairstyles I’ve had over the past year have been her creations. She’s inspired me to let loose, but I’ve also seen her make sophisticated and proper. She’s just damn good at hair.
David Veliz, Assistant, Artist, North Las Vegas, NV: David has been the best assistant anyone could ask for. He has been dedicated to learning and creating, as well as seeing Wear Recycle move forward. We've been through periods in which David has worked for me 3-5 days a week 8+ hrs a day, and times when I've encouraged him to step back and work on his own paintings. He is a twenty year old self taught painter with aspirations of going to college in California. David is far ahead of his peers with knowing what he wants and having the ability to go out and get it. I admire him strongly and expect great things out of this future international painter.
Amos Martinez, Chemical Specialist, Artist, North Las Vegas, NV: Amos is the chemical and coat specialist for Wear Recycle. He's been developing acrylic solutions to add to the paper to make it ready to print liquid emulsion on. He has also been responsible for experimentation in the Mediums Explored series to figure out how the Zappos sculptures will be coated for strength. In addition, Amos has develop the concpets of Wear Recycle through conversation and critique.
Richard King, Technical Specialist, Artist, Las Vegas, NV: Richard is the Technical Engineer for Wear Recycle and most recently helped to develop a live feed for Wear Recycle. He has made paper and helped fundraising for Blackbird Studios when Wear Recycle was located within that studio.
Shannon Kidwell, Assistant, Artist, Las Vegas, NV: Shannon has helped with organizing email and online google docs, annoying and valuable stuff like that. She has helped make paper and will be painting a medium study that has a back coating of Polymide Epoxy (that was going to be trashed if not used). She will be experimenting with water colors on the front surface.
Past Team Members
Catherine Savello, Graphic and Web Designer, AdCat prefiously Verge Marketing Group, Las Vegas, NV: I was given Catherine’s information from one of her clients. It was one of my first cold calls and Catherine agreed to meet with me. I was so scared to present Wear Recycle to her, but once I did she loved the ideas. We've made history since, developing posters, producing a solo exhibition in down town Chicago to tour the US, and tons more material. Catherine thinks fast, creates, and I just simply love everything she has made. She worked on Wear Recycle for 1 1/2 years and has since took a leave. She is always welcome back and I look forward to working with her again one day.
Joe Kellenberger, Printer, Previously at Graphics West, Las Vegas, NV: It is one thing to have an incredible creative team that comes together with a larger vision in mind, but it’s a completely different thing to have the president of one of the most prestigious print companies in Las Vegas believe in you enough to want to see you succeed. Joe has managed to print what’s needed to make this project excel, but has also giving words of encouragement and made very last minutes print runs to assure Wear Recycles success. Joe takes our vision and makes it reality even more beautifully then I ever can imagine.
Rich Castro, videographer, Systems Technician at Insurance Auto Auctions, Henderson, NV: Rich took video and edited all of the video blogs that were uploaded in 2010. He has also been a trooper financially and letting me borrow his car. That's more under sponsors, but he's a general miracle worker when it comes to when I'm freaking out and need help. I guess he's a Wear Recycle Duke, that's his team member status. He's definetly on the team, but not really, but is.
Denise Savello, Project Manager, Verge Marketing Group, Las Vegas, NV: Denise was Catherine’s business partner within Verge and I actually didn’t have the opportunity to meet her until Seasons, Chicago. Her and I immediately came up with tasks for her to accomplish in addition to what Catherine was working on. She comes over for American Idol night and shows me the work she’s accomplished over the past week and I’m completely blown away every time. She is truly a firecracker and together Catherine and Denise are the 4th of July fireworks.
Mary Marriot, Bookkeeper, Just Ask Mary, Henderson, NV: I met Mary at the Henderson Chamber of Commerce in Nevada. Her personality has always struck me as intelligent, light hearted, and a perfect combination of playful and serious. When I presented Wear Recycle to her she immediately agreed to sponsor. Life feels a bit better when my book keeper tells me its going to be ok and that I shouldn’t stop pursuing my dream.
Translators, International: All of the people listed below have helped to translate material for a broader audience. They are great. Most of them I have not personally met, but they are still special to the project. Cristina Hlusak, Monica Fladvad, Dimitri Karam, Julaine Dilling, Javier Saavedra, Jeka Pazi, Amanda Pazi, Benjamin Johnson. Thank you. :)
Tara Potter and John Verville, Security System Installation, Shield Fire and Security, Las Vegas, NV: Tara and John were fantastic to work with. They came in for Operation; Mediums Explored and installed an alarm with a remote control so that when the team saw someone touching the installation we could trick an alarm...like the game Operation. It was hilarious!
Aurora King, Assistant, Student, Las Vegas, NV: Aurora is Richard's ten year old daughter. She helped to make paper for Operation; Mediums Explored at Blackbird Studios. She is incredibly talented for being ten years old and is a future artist for sure. Keep your eye out.