Located in the upbeat and creative community of Sebastopol, California, husband-and-wife artist duo, Patrick Amoit and Brigitte Laurent, bring ordinary trash to life through art. The artists contribute quirky sculptures made from “Objects destined for the dump,” says Suzanne Daly, according to patrickamoit.com. Site-seers from all around California flock to Florence Ave. in Sebastopol, which is lined with vibrant sculptures created by the duo that sit in front of every yard on the street. Among outstanding yards on the street is the house of the artists themselves, as the street is also home to their workshop.
Sonoma State Alumni and visitor of Florence Ave., Katie Hunt, describes the street as, “A place that shows how the Sebastopol community comes together through creativity.”
While Amoit is described as an “urban folk artist,” according to Daly, Amoit and his masterpieces have formed an artistic treasure trove within his community. However, as Amoit is not the only one participating in the creation of the sculptures, while he sculpts, his wife, Laurent, paints.
Through the crafting of the junk and the detail of the painting, former Sonoma State student, Michaela Austin, describes these sculptures as “art that is unlike anything else seen in Sonoma County.”
Amoit and Laurent’s art has a uniquely eccentric quality to it. Yet, their art is much more than fine craftsmanship; it helps the community. The artists use their platform to raise money for the local school district. The art is not only beneficial to its local community, but also that of which reigns world-wide; Artists installed a carrousel installation in Ontario, Canada, powered by solar.
The works of art fill Sebastopol–and Sonoma County at large–with a vividly different and unique site to see. While the sculptures start in the junkyards, dumpsters, and trash cans, they surely do not end up as mere junk.
The brightly repurposed trash is a creative reminder to, really, repurpose trash. For the duo, using creative means of their own has equipped Sonoma County with a friendly reminder to reuse and recycle trash. With landfills growing larger and the ocean filling up with garbage, now is an important time for creatives to come together and imagine new ways of contributing to sustainability.
While the sculptures range in inspiration, some depict animals, mythical creatures and others are people, among many others. Yet, from skeletons riding on motorcycles to the artist’s own rendition of Batman, the community can agree that there is a sculpture for the liking of everyone.
Overall, these sculptures cultivate a curious site for Sonoma County residents, so set aside time to visit the avenue of sculptures, or drive around to see how many of Amoit and Laurent’s sculptures there is to find! As the art community thrives across the town culture of Sebastopol, pieces like that of the duos aid in bringing a certain charm to the city’s limits. While a sense of environmental sustainability is yet another important community mainstay, the junk-art sculptures reside as manifestations of bringing together the strong bonds of the city, art and sustainability, all in one place.
