One of the things that’s hardest for me to understand about human behavior is people throwing their trash onto the ground and leaving it there. Paper, glass, pieces of clothing – there are trash cans literally everywhere, and most of us have pockets or backpacks or our cars where we could store things until we get somewhere with a receptacle.
Clearly, there’s something I don’t understand, because there is tons and tons of trash littering the wilds of our beautiful planet on any given day.
Eco-artist Mariah Reading is bringing awareness to the issue while cleaning up, and transforming trash into something gorgeous besides – she paints landscapes of the spot where she found the garbage on the garbage, and the results, well…you really have to see them for yourself.
Here are 14 gorgeous landscapes painted so skillfully they blend right in – even though they never should have originally been there in the first place.
14. All on a single dropped bottle.
I never would have believed it was possible.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_5_BpigJ6Q/
13. The colors on this are amazing.
It literally blends right in.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD_wHlMAgPU/
12. I don’t think rangers are supposed to drop their pins.
But this one was found and recycled, anyway.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_0ahMrAnNB/
11. Night and day.
Who knew trash could be so lovely?
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD7CW7xAeXp/
10. Anything can be a canvas.
But I’m sorry she finds hers so easily.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_VNKlFgWIB/
9. Do you see a sandal?
If there were two I would buy these in a heartbeat!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDzsdw8g9HY/
8. That poor ponies.
That thing has some stories to tell.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rrFYUgfN1/
7. Paint on a paintbrush.
It’s so blessedly meta.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDeR0fhgYak/
6. Those boots never looked so good.
I guarantee it didn’t look that good before she found it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-hhOTGA8f8/
5. I have no idea how she lines things up so well.
That’s some attention to detail.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAYKhccAiZw/
4. The gloves are my favorite.
Like placing your hand right on nature.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-NJ_y9AG5b/
3. It’s like a dream.
That vest never dreamed it could be so beautiful, I bet.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAVuTFQgnZO/
2. You don’t need to see the real thing.
Don’t let trash obscure the natural beauty, y’all.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7tPm08gMcP/
1. This is one of my favorites.
The colors are stunning.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CADXinVgXbD/
Amazing, isn’t it?
Do you think art like this can change the world? Tell us why or why not in the comments!
