Los Angeles-based artist Cristina McAllister takes the colorful parts of consumer goods packaging, cuts them up into tiny pieces and recombines them to create beautiful one-of-a-kind decorative art pieces to accent your home.

Her passion for this unique art form started in 2007, when she contributed a piece to Le Museum de Materiel Retrouve (Museum of Reused Items), an installation for the Burning Man festival in Nevada. The brainchild of L.A. artist Trieops Treyfid, the building was made from recycled cardboard and housed a small collection of works made from recycled materials.

“The call was for either wholly original pieces, or reproductions or reworkings of classic art pieces. I figured that every museum needed a Virgin Mary icon, so I decided to do a version of ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’. Pondering what materials to use, I realized that I had a recycling bin full of cardboard packaging right in my kitchen that was colorful and easy to work with, so that began my exploration of collage mosaic.”

Having previously worked mainly in acrylic and oil paints and digital media, Cristina fell in love with the new challenges and possibilities of this meticulous technique.

“It’s kind of meditative, very precise and consuming, but it also has a free flow to it in choosing just the right tiny piece to place into each space to create the design. Often, it’s almost magical how the perfect piece will instantly catch my eye. I feel like my Mosaic Muse is guiding me at those moments,” she laughs. “It’s interesting to play with the colors and patterns I have available and combine them into harmonious designs to turn something very basic into something extraordinary.”

She started out by doing a series of small 4” square canvases that explored the spiral form, an element that’s always been a natural part of her doodles and designs. Her first experience selling these small works at a local street faire was disappointing.

“People would look, and a few really admired them, I got a lot of good feedback, but nobody bought anything. A couple of people thought they were little boxes, and were disappointed and lost interest when they learned that they were 'just wall art'.”

Determined to learn from her experience, Cristina rethought her strategy for creating appealing art in this new medium and sought out “stuff” to adorn with her colorful mosaic designs. At her next show, she had photo frames and keepsake boxes, and the frames, especially, were a hit.

“I think people like that they’re both ‘useful’ and uniquely expressive. And I really dig the idea of art that’s more accessible to ‘everyday folks’; items that are original works of art but are still affordable and relevant to our everyday lives. Everyone should be able to have art in their homes that they can really appreciate and live with.”

It got her fired up about the world of decorative art, and the burgeoning “Buy Handmade” movement that’s catching on in a big way right now with the aid of online marketplaces like Etsy.com and artist co-op boutiques like the Handmade gallery in Sherman Oaks, CA.

“There’s kind of a backlash going on right now, where people are disenchanted with the cheaply made, manufactured items so ubiquitous in our culture. So much of what we surround ourselves with is uninspiring and mass produced. It’s easy to devalue these things because they’re disposable and replaceable, so there’s little real connection. But handmade items are unique and made with care and skill and personality – they’re precious in their rarity and craftsmanship, and that difference can make something mundane into something that you really treasure and value and feel good about owning and displaying into your space. And everyone wins! The buyers get one-of-a-kind art, and the artists get the support they need to continue to create what they love.”

Cristina’s line of items now includes photo frames, wall mirrors, keepsake boxes, candleholders and wall plaques, as well as her whimsical “wishing stones”.

“I’m constantly trying new things, new imagery, from the elegant to the fun to more ‘hip’, modern designs. I supplement the recycled materials with art papers in various colors and patterns, sparkly bits and iridescent and metallic pigments. The way the tiles catch the light is my favorite part. The uneven surfaces just sparkle, shifting as the light changes or as you move past them. I just love that irregular, faceted texture!”

Cristina’s work can be purchased from her Etsy.com store: http://www.cristinamcallister.etsy.com

Cristina McAllister lives and works at her home studio, affectionately called The Technicolor Cottage, near Los Angeles, CA.
She regularly participates in group shows at the Cactus Gallery in Eagle Rock, CA.
She created art for the Burning Man festival in 2004, 2006 and 2007.
She has shown her works at various shows, events and marketplaces in the Los Angeles area, including the F.A.M.E. show, Artfest, the SugarShack, the Montrose Thieve’s Market and the Junk in the Trunk sale.
She has been doing profession illustration, graphic design and fine art for over 15 years.

photo coming soon!

Recycling "Raw" Materials

photo coming soon!

Treasure from Trash!

"Our lady of Perpetual Packaging"

a selection of Spiral Mosaics

photo coming soon!

a selection of "Wishing Stones"