One person's so-called trash can be another's artistic inspiration.

Maple Ridge artist Lea Sevcov can attest to that.

She has used what many might consider throwaway items either in her pieces, or as the basis of her artwork.

"My mother's an artist, too," Sevcov related. "She was doing a bunch of landscapes and flowers, and I tried to do that kind of stuff, but it just wasn't me. I got frustrated."

Sevcov took a course in abstract art about eight years ago and found her niche.

"I thought, 'Oh, this is my thing!'" she said.

For two of her mixed-media pieces, part of an exhibit from the Garibaldi Art Club currently on display at The ACT, Sevcov used pictures to model her work around.

"And that was of a broken door," she said. "And I just kind of went from there. I can take pictures of garbage and all kinds of stuff, and a lot of times it's just a starting point. I'll get the colour ideas or shapes, and it just kinds of morphs from there, and most of the time, it doesn't look anything like it started to be."

The abstract artwork of Sevcov and fellow members of the club is currently hanging on the walls of the Passagio Gallery, located on the second floor of The ACT.

The club members selected the artwork and mounted the displays themselves in the space allocated by the local theatre and cultural centre.

The exhibit changes every two months. This most recent one runs until March 4.

The Maple Ridge Art Gallery provides administrative support in creating labels for the artwork.

Each artist's name and contact information is situated beside the pieces, for anyone wanting to purchase the artwork.

"The gallery doesn't even take a commission," Sevcov said. "They are doing this as a community service for us."

FORMED IN 1959

One of the longest-running art organizations in Maple Ridge, the club formed in 1959 when local painting enthusiasts began meeting at the Albion Hall.

The group later moved their weekly painting sessions to Maple Ridge High School, where they were offered meeting space courtesy ofthe school board.

With approximately 100 members, the club meets in The ACT craft room the first Tuesday of every month, and hosts a juried show and a general show each year.

Sevcov became a member seven years ago.

"I was semi-retired, and just getting back into art, and joined," she recalled. "They're a great group of people."

tlandreville@mrtimes.com