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Bay Area artist uses recycled material to create whimsical pieces

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Published  September 17, 2024 4:16pm EDT
What's Right with Tampa Bay
FOX 13 News

Artist creates pieces out of recycled material

Mark Wilson reports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Joyce Curvin makes her art from things most of us throw away.

Her whimsical pieces bring smiles to faces.

"When I'm making dogs," said Curvin. "I might use a plastic bucket for their body and build on to it with wire and paper."

Your trash is Curvin's treasure.

"I do all kinds of crazy creatures out of recycled stuff,'" said Curvin. "Start with things like cardboard, old Christmas ornaments, paper."

Curvin transforms discarded, reusable materials into unique, one-of-a-kind pet artwork.

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"I think everybody's so serious these days and cranky and unhappy sometimes. And if they can, if they can look at this and laugh and get a kick out of it and if it brings them joy. That's the whole name of the game," she said.

The recyclable paper mache artist caught the creative bug as a child.

"I've always done art through my entire life and was an art major for a while in college and came back to it after doing display work for a really long time," Curvin explained.

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Curvin primarily creates dogs, birds, and cats, but lately, she's been focusing more on making clocks. Her work has been displayed in art shows all over Pinellas County.

"Kids love to come in, and they see these dogs that are blue or green or some crazy color, and it's fun to see their little minds just go with the imagination," she shared.

Curvin is proof that using scrap materials is a good way to help the environment while making something beautiful. She has been an artist for more than 30 years.

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