Eric Darling

Appleton - "I tend to oscillate between mediums, using elements from my photography to catch impressions of fleeting moments with oil on canvas; or using finished wood panels and stains, and upcycled pot warp in mixed media assembly. A past invitation to create a piece of work using wood panels, and a pile of collected drift rope, sparked the divergence of the Drift Rope Project:  An assembly of found and abandoned pot warp from the Saint George River.

Over the past few years I've collected over a ton of abandoned pot warp and have explored its versatility as a durable art medium.  There is a cultural and historical connection between the rope and the livelihoods of many coastal communities of Maine and beyond, which has inspired me to start the Drift Rope Project.  I hope to pioneer a new frontier of upcycled art and bring awareness to the many ways this overlooked material could become an art tourism attraction; as well as a creative way to brighten up some public settings in the visual forms of wall installations, public benches and garden sculptures, and a variety of unforeseen art forms which I plan to create.  Currently there is limited use for the retired pot warp and miles of this colorful, diverse material is buried in the local landfills."