SELF PORTRAIT

Jessica McGhee (loveheylola) is an an artist and educator who works with mostly reclaimed items, with a focus on materials that cannot be traditionally recycled. Self Portrait is a body of work that was created using those reclaimed materials, including the artists own older art pieces. By transforming and using these pieces again and again, they help her tell the story of her life, what has happened, what she loves, what she struggles with, what she hopes for and who she is. The centerpiece of the exhibit is Mo, a whale-like creature who was first created out of the mounds of medical paperwork and supplies that the artist accumulated while going through cancer treatment. All of that paperwork is still there, but is now just a piece of the story, instead of the primary focus. Traditionally unrecyclable items used in this exhibit include campaign signs, school folders, straws, toys, office supplies, and more.