SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - People who pick up trash do so for a variety of reasons. Some do it to beautify their surroundings or to protect the environment. Others, such as artist Diane Boudreau, salvage what is considered trash to give the objects a second chance as part of an artwork.

Comprised of second hand materials, Diane Boudreau shows off her latest artwork, a mirror image landscape scene. - Charlotte Hilling/NNSL photo

"It gives another life to materials that have been rejected by the industry," said Boudreau.

While other good citizens focus on picking up the rubbish that litters the streets, Boudreau is more inclined towards the garbage of industry.

"I'm using material from the mine, and if I have this material it's because it is going to waste. That's my type of recycling," she said.

From her Urban Art Studio in downtown Yellowknife, Boudreau composes an array of colourful murals and art pieces.

Core sample boxes from the mining industry feature prominently in Boudreau's latest works, as well as donated paint and plywood. She said the majority of her work is made with recycled materials.

She said the plywood used in her work is occasionally salvaged from the Yellowknife landfill, but more often than not it is donated by local businesses that are unable to sell it.

Mistint paint - paint that was incorrectly mixed - may be an annoyance for hardware stores but for Boudreau it is a lucky break as it's the paint she uses on many of her pieces because it cannot be sold.

"All these people, by giving a little bit, support art in a small way," she said of the businesses that donate materials.

Boudreau's Urban Art Studio is situated in the corner of a yard on 50 Street, fittingly surrounded by old cars and various other throwaway objects.

When asked why she is drawn to materials other people have discarded, Boudreau responded, "I would ask why so many people waste things?"

"I use it because it's there, because I have an idea. A lot of people have no imagination, so they just throw away everything," she said.

But Boudreau does not think donations are always positive, especially when it is organizations expecting artwork for free, which she said is a common occurrence.

"When someone does a report, does the industry expect to have that report for free? No. But we have to donate our work for free. We want to change this story," she said.

This summer Boudreau received a grant from the NWT Arts Council and she said the council is one of the few organizations that financially supports the work of artists.