Although I was distracted and busy when I first spotted the piece above by Heidi Allen, I just had to stop and look. Then I looked some more. I’ve seen talented assemblage artists before, but there’s something undeniably compelling about her upcycled sea life. They have a unique joy about them that I couldn’t put my finger on until I realized the artist takes her inspiration from Hawaii. No wonder they’re joyful!

Allen’s work, which is sold under the Etsy name FishFryRecycledArt, features fish “made of recycled, weathered woods, bottle caps from the beaches of Kihei, and popular beer and juice tins which I could not bear to put in the recycling bin!” But she didn’t always work in recycled materials:

“My glasswork was absolutely inspired by growing up on the ocean in Fort Bragg, CA, and the intersection of sand and fire. But lately I have been pulled to celebrate the beauty of Maui, Hawaiian culture and our ever important obligation to honor and save our earth and its resources.”

About Heidi Allen

I am obsessed with Allen’s use of color, her exaggerated shapes, and her skillful mix of materials. And I am moved by how her love for Hawaii and her reverence for the Earth has inspired her to create such wonderful, positive-feeling art. I hope the wider art world discovers her soon. She deserves attention!

You can purchase Heidi Allen’s works in her Etsy shop, FishFryRecycledArt.

All images property of Heidi Allen/Fish Fry Recycled Art, used with permission.