Grayling Visitors Bureau

Kirtland Community College
News Release
10775 N. St. Helen Road Roscommon, MI 48653 989-275-5000
www.kirtland.edu

Subject: KWWF featured artist turns scrap into artwork
Office: PR Contact: Dennis Mansfield at 989-275-5000, ext. 242
Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010 For Release: Immediately

Creative recycling: Artist makes scraps into art

ROSCOMMON – Festival organizers are excited to announce that Justin La Doux, a part-time faculty member for Kirtland Community College’s Art Department, will be the featured artist for the 17th annual Kirtland’s Warbler Wildlife Festival (KWWF) on Saturday, May 15.

La Doux is familiar with the Kirtland’s warbler, but admits he hasn’t had the opportunity to view one up close. Nonetheless, his metal wildlife sculptures are a good fit for the festival. Besides helping to save the environment by rescuing “dumped” items and reusing them as art, La Doux said the shapes of the recycled metal objects he uses work well for animal sculptures.

“My sculptures are made with various scrap metal, found objects and recycled materials. All the materials are welded together,” La Doux said. “I feel that my sculptures are a puzzle and I have to find the best way to fit the peaces together.”

La Doux, a big fan of recycling, said he learned how to weld about two years ago. The resulting combination of interests and creative skill is something festival-goers will get to see first hand at the annual festival, when his work is displayed in the Student Center on the college’s main campus near Roscommon.

“I feel that my sculptures are good examples of how people can think in a more positive way about what we waste,” La Doux said. “We can make a difference in the way we use stuff.”

The 27-year-old La Doux currently resides in Alma, which has curbside recycling. To La Doux, such recycling programs help reduce the number of trash bags going to landfills. But another benefit, at least for this artist, is a wealth of materials he’s then able to find for his artistic endeavors.

“The biggest benefit for me with using recycled items in my art is that most of the stuff is cheap, free and, most important, will not end up in a landfill,” he said.

These pieces of scrap, at least to most of us, have been used by La Doux to create impressive works of art, including a lion, angler fish and now a giant squid. That’s just to name a few.
La Doux added his art is not just one defined method, style or medium. Rather, his work is mixture of ideas, opinions and beliefs.

“I feel that I need to try a variety of methods, styles and different mediums to grow as an artist,” he said. “This is the same way I teach letting my students explore the many ways to create art.”

Festival committee members are excited to have La Doux display his work at this year’s event.

“People may not always combine recycling and art,” said Jim Enger, festival chairman. “But Justin’s efforts to create impressive artistic works, many of which are of wildlife, by using recycled materials is one reason we thought he’d be a great choice to be our featured artist. Once festival-goers see his work, we think they’ll agree.”

La Doux already has plenty of fans, both for his art and his teaching. Students give La Doux accolades for the guidance he provides in the classroom.

“He helps you get your projects going and is ready to lend a hand if you get stuck,” said metal sculpture student Devin Yedinak, 19, of West Branch, while also describing La Doux as a good teacher. “He also stands back and lets you do your own thing.”

La Doux has been teaching eighth-grade photography for five years at Kirtland. He has also worked as a paraprofessional for three years and is teaching his first semester of welded sculpture at Kirtland.

Annually, about 3,200 students attend a variety of certificate and two-year degree programs at Kirtland’s three locations – the main campus near Roscommon, and the Michigan Technical Education Center (M-TEC) in Gaylord and in West Branch – with the college’s service area including all or parts of Crawford, Oscoda, Ogemaw, Roscommon, Otsego, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Gladwin and Alcona counties, and the surrounding areas.

For more information on Kirtland, visit online at www.kirtland.edu or call 989-275-5000, extension 284. Or, for details on the festival, visit warbler.kirtland.edu or call 275-5000, extension 266 or 242.

– Erika Nichols, a student writer for the Kirtland Current, the student publication serving Kirtland Community College, contributed to this story.

CUTLINE INFORMATION: Justin La Doux, a part-time faculty member for Kirtland Community College’s Art Department, will be the featured artist for the 17th annual Kirtland’s Warbler Wildlife Festival (KWWF) on Saturday, May 15. One of his more recent efforts is that of an angler fish made out of recycled materials welded together.