Bringing renewal to our marginalized
neighbors and caring for the Earth through Art.
Gleaning Project
We promote a mindset of empowering a disenfranchised population while caring for our environment. Using discarded objects as the raw material for creating art pieces, we bring new life out of what was deemed old and useless.
Glean is to gather, slowly and laboriously, bit by bit grain or the like, after the regular gatherers.
‘Lights’ - Installation commissioned by the Chelsea Music Festival, 2014; discarded plastic containers, nylon cord; 12 × 6 ft
What We Do
Gather
We gather discarded materials (used plastic bags, tea bags, aluminum foil, and the like) to make the artwork hiring and training underserved individuals as artist assistants.
Transform
As the discarded materials are cleaned, cut, crocheted, sewed, tied together, and transformed into art pieces, our neighbors find community, purpose, and healing.
Reinvest
All finished pieces are exhibited, marketed, and sold, and the profits are reinvested into the project.
Used tea bags transformed into collages
‘Collage #1’ 2019 discarded milk carton, tissue paper, tea bags, neutral ph adhesive 9 × 12 in
‘Collage #3’ 2019 discarded milk carton, tissue paper, tea bags, neutral ph adhesive 15 × 30 in
Used plastic bag as the raw material for a piece
‘Rabiscos’, 2017; discarded plastic bags, 20×25 in
STAY CONNECTED
Get Involved
Serve as a volunteer to help support other areas of the execution of this project.
Bring our art into your home by purchasing our pieces.
Help promote the Gleaning Project via your networks and social media.
Our supporters:
With thanks to
Bestudio Design The Gleaning Project logo was designed by Beatriz Salvatierra
Carmita Sanchez-Fong Professor and Chairperson, Interior Design Department, Fashion Institute of Technology
Ian Torres Photographer