Yet two funky chandeliers made from discarded plastic trinkets, beads, and old bottle tops (“doppies”), literally gleaned from the streets of this small, quaint Karoo town are now gracing Barack, Michelle, the girls and the puppy’s new home at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The Regency-inspired chandeliers were created by
The Magpie Collective - a "socially conscious art collective..." comprising social entrepreneur Shane Petzer, designer Scott Hart, artist Sean Daniel and administrator Richard Panaino.
Petzer said in an
interview with The Times “We’re very excited about it. I mean, here we are, just a small studio in
Barrydale. There’s not too many people here, but the whole town is excited about it.”
LA-based decorator
Michael Smith, tasked with updating the Obama's private wing, found the two chandeliers in a gallery in New York. He felt they would appeal to the first family’s love for modern art.
The Magpie Collective’s studio has a large bin on its front porch where locals bring junk for recycling into art.
Which just shows, no matter how humble your beginnings, you have the potential to reach any destination, no matter how lofty!
