From the French Quarter to the Arts District, the museums, galleries, and artists of New Orleans are thriving on an increasingly sophisticated blend of Southern tradition and global culture

"One person’s trash is another person’s treasure” goes the old saying. Trisha Ransom and Douglas Koslosky know this all too well. Both are recycled material collectors whose work has been shown in the Bywater Art Market. Ransom and Douglas make art out of salvaged pieces, transforming what some consider trash into artistic masterpieces.

The Bywater Art Market was started by Blake Vonder Haar in May 2002 as an outlet for local artists to show their work, and has continued monthly since that time.
"I moved here to Zydeco dance,” admits the Californian Ransom, whose friends call her ‘Trish Trash,’ as she stands amid a menagerie of found objects. ”I had a pair of bottle cap earrings one day my friend wanted for her gallery, and another guy said I could even sell them.”

The next thing she knew, Ransom was making pieces as large as a 4’ redfish for a local chef and later, a 6’x3’ school of fish as a commissioned piece.

Ransom hammers away at her “little treasures” all day, including a kickball her dog found, IBC rootbeer caps, and cords from weedeaters and guitars. Surrounding Ransom are dragonflies made of screws and screens, turtles with football-skin shells, and angels with pie-tin wings.

Koslosky’s pieces offer an old-fashioned presentation of salvaged art. He began painting on weathered wood around five years ago.

“I was asked to do a crab sign, and it just took off from there,” said Koslosky simply.

Koslosky’s designs usually feature large lettering with local slogans like “Alligators from dawn to dusk,” or “red beans and rice oh so nice.” Others include what look like Mom and Pop general store signs reading “Hot Coffee” or “French Bread” with original pictures.

“Finding the wood takes the longest,” he explains. “But I rarely spend any money on my pieces.”

Not only does using what other people have tossed test these artists’ ingenuity, it also means their business is environment-friendly. They clean up the city and beautify it at the same time.

Trisha Ransom’s next show is April 22 through 24 at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, or you can check out her stuff at www.debrisart.com. For a closer look at Koslosky’s work, visit Elizabeth’s Restaurant, 601 Gallier St.

The Bywater Art Market is held on the third Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mickey Markey Park at the corner of Piety and Royal Streets. The next market will be held April 16.

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