2018 Storm Drain Art: Kami McFall

I am a mermaid out of water and since we are living in a landlocked state, our waste can go as far as the ocean. That is why I used the slogan “There is no away”. I have lived on Oahu, Hawai’i for 3 years and have helped volunteer with many beach clean-ups and it is only get worse with the amount of pollution and small plastic pieces in our water, beach and land.

It breaks my heart knowing there are creatures out there suffering from our waste and we all need to work together to help prevent this. We also need to put more demand and pressure on companies designing products that are compostable and safe for the environment, wildlife and us. I have seen many pictures of the “garbage patches” and there are many and they are huge. I used the slogan “Not all trash is treasure” because it’s true and with the depiction of the mermaid in reference to Ariel from the Little Mermaid, shows she is not happy about these human objects because it is hurting her animal friends.

Artist Information

Kami McFall was born and raised in Nebraska. Throughout her life, Kami has always been fascinated by nature and sustainable practices. In 2001, she enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Topographic Analyst and has toured Iraq and Kuwait. She has witnessed waste practices in foreign countries and throughout the United States. After her honorable discharge, she moved to Oahu, Hawai’i in 2007 to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies at the Hawaii Pacific University. During that time she volunteered with multiple beach cleanups and saw first-hand the impact that waste had on the ocean environment and wildlife. She has always loved Colorado and relocated to Colorado Springs in 2010 to finish her Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. While earning her degree, she also worked 4 years as a Zero Waste Coordinator in the Office of Sustainability and learned even more about sustainable practices.

Kami has always been very creative and is a self-taught artist who explores environmentalism and politics through different materials and mediums. She experiments with found objects, collages, photography and creating upcycled artwork and projects. Kami’s eclectic styles of art has been shown here locally in various art galleries and art shows to include: The Modbo, The Bridge Gallery, The Fifth Element, Tap Traders and Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort where her work “Sweet Stuff” won People’s Choice Award. Her passion for demonstrating her love for a clean and healthy environment for all creatures can be seen in her work. Dubbed “Recycling Queen” and “Zero-waster” she enjoys practicing and teaching sustainable values through her art and in any way she can.