MY NAME IS STEPHANIE HONGO AND I AM AN AMERICAN ARTIST LIVING IN CONNECTICUT. I HAVE BEEN CREATING ART FOR THE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE, BUT IT WASN’T UNTIL I BEGAN MAKING MY TRASH PIECES THAT I REALLY FELT INSPIRED TO CREATE ART FOR ART’S SAKE. I COME FROM A FAMILY OF CREATORS OF ALL KINDS, FROM CARPENTRY TO TYPOGRAPHY WE ALL HAVE AN ABILITY TO “MAKE THINGS.” THIS BROAD RANGE OF ABILITY AND INFLUENCE WAS A BIG FACTOR IN DEVELOPING MY OWN BRAND OF CREATIVITY.WHEN I FIRST BEGAN MAKING THESE PIECES I ATTEMPTED A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS: ANIMALS, FLOWERS, INANIMATE OBJECTS, EVEN SPORTS LOGOS. AS TIME HAS GONE ON HOWEVER, I’VE NARROWED MY INTEREST TO MAKING JUST ANIMALS. THIS MAY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE, BUT FOR NOW IT IS WHAT INSPIRES ME MOST. OCTOPUSES AND ANIMAL BUSTS ARE AMONG MY FAVORITE THINGS TO CREATE, AND OCTOPUS PIECES ARE BY FAR THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER.I DO ALL THE WORK ON MY PIECES OUT OF MY HOME. THE STUDIO I HAVE CREATED FOR MYSELF IS ALWAYS FULLY STOCKED WITH A MOUNTAIN OF TRASH AND RECYCLABLES DONATED BY FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND INDIVIDUALS IN MY COMMUNITY.THERE IS FAR TOO MUCH WASTE GENERATED IN THE WORLD. I WANT TO DO MY SMALL PART IN HELPING ELIMINATE SOME OF THAT, WHILE IN TURN MAKING BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE WORKS OF ART.