Bobbi Mastrangelo is internationally known for her “Grate Works.” She creates artistic streetscapes featuring manhole covers, sewers, and grates. Her sculpture relief works appear so real that viewers wonder how she could even lift them to hang on a wall. Exquisite works on her handmade paper vary from little jewel-like mandalas to imaginative constructions incorporating bamboo, textural fibers and special effects.

The artist, a member of The National Association of Women Artists, is listed in “Who’s Who in American Art,” “Who’s Who in American Women” and other noteworthy references. Her works are in prominent collections including: The Baltimore Public Works Museum, The Heckscher Museum and The Islip Art Museum in New York State and The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

GOALS:

To promote protection of all our precious resources which are often accessed under manhole covers.

To have the “Grate Works” exhibited and collected by prominent museums.

To have my artwork images, catalogs, press releases, etc. documented on CD’s for artists’ archives.

My vision is for my “manhole art” to be recognized globally.

To have a paragraph or two about “The Grate Works” in art history books.

To help other aspiring artists to achieve their goals.

PRESENT WORK:

This month I am working on miniature copper toolings of water covers for Solivita Artisan’s Guild Exhibit.

My second project is designing my latest post card for the 27th National Post Card Week.  Previous post cards used color photos based on my sculpture relief works. This year’s subject is a signed photo (to me) by Art Carney, Ed Norton, coming out of a manhole chimney. To see the selection of National Post Card issues since 1991, go to the ABOUT (BIO) section of my web site.

Meanwhile future ideas spin cerebrally:

I am collecting natural parts of palm trees for fiber-art works with cast paper water covers.

That extra piece of silvery insulation in the garage is just begging to be transformed into a Mars’ grate. But what would a grate on the red planet look like?  Perhaps it should be backlit, emitting a red or an orange glow and how will I engineer that?

I have begun a series of World Water Covers on canvas.  Each country’s typical water cover design will be superimposed over its flag. This installation of thirty or more world water covers would be the highlight of “Water Works” exhibition proposals to fine arts museums. So far I have completed two. I will research water cover designs to  compliment flag designs. It is a daunting project, which needs either a deadline or museum exhibition invitation to motivate action.

Also wanted: water cover images from around the world. Send j-pegs of small water covers to my web site and I will send you several signed post cards.

WHAT INSPIRES ME:

Picasso inspired me with his energy, ingenuity and his wide scope of mediums.

Jasper Johns focused his art on common objects. (Manhole covers are common objects)

Learning the scoop about manhole covers is fascinating:

The employees of the Water Districts taught me about all the street markings and shared their information on water purity and conservation. Mentors from the Smithtown, NY Highway Department taught me about the various road marking colors, which identify what was under the cover. They even pried off a cover so that I could see the chimney support below the cover.

I admire some of the oldest castings, which boast intricate, artistic designs created by real craftsmen. Kudos to Yasutake Kameda, a former ranking bureaucrat in the construction ministry of Japan.  He encouraged cities, towns and villages to develop designs with local appeal. Japan’s present day manhole covers are among the most decorative, colorful and attractive in the world.  Each Prefecture has it own unique cover, featuring a special symbol, flora, fauna, landmark or festival design.

Visit Bobbi’s Website for more information.