Youth Eco-Action Showcase: A Youth Sustainable Art and Fashion Exhibit

Enjoy a sustainable gallery full of art created by environmentally focused youth!

The YCAC Sustainable Art & Fashion Show for local youth ages 14 to 25 took place on Wed., April 15, 2026. Winning pieces from the art exhibit and fashion show are displayed in this gallery. 

Sustainable art and fashion are forms of creative expression intentionally constructed in ways that do not harm the environment. They often address topics like climate change, environmental concerns, and social justice. Materials are recycled, salvaged, repurposed, or sustainably produced, coming from local or nearby sources. Sustainable art and fashion aim to protect both the environment and the people who produce art materials or clothing. There are many labor concerns within the fashion industry, in particular, as workers tend to be underpaid and subject to harmful conditions. The industry is also detrimental to the environment through issues like deforestation, emissions, and pollution. According to the UNFCCC, the fast fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global CO2 emissions due to its energy-intensive production and complex supply chains. 

Through best practices, we can work toward making our art and fashion habits more sustainable while still cultivating a unique sense of style and expression. These best practices can include buying second-hand, recycling and upcycling materials, and supporting local businesses. The youth who organized the sustainable art and fashion show are very passionate about encouraging and supporting other youth to implement sustainable fashion and art tips and tricks in their creative work. In addition to this gallery, they also hosted a workshop for youth to learn about sustainable art and fashion with guest instructor Hunter Reynolds from LAZYCOUP. This workshop provided a space for young people to work on their art & fashion projects and to learn from experts and each other.

Alyssia Schantz, "The Pitcher": This piece symbolizes the feelings of emptiness and disconnection left in many hearts as chaos and destruction unfolds in the world around us. The negative space in the pitcher prevents the piece from being fully functional, just as division has disrupted the functionality of our world. I have loved working with clay since my early years in high school and will soon be graduating from a level 200 ceramic course at Chatham. Throughout the semester, I collected any unwanted clay trimmings or scraps that came from my projects. After I added water to it to rehydrate the old bone-dry clay scraps soften into a soft muddy consistency. After letting it sit for a few days, I dumped it all out onto a table to let some of the water evaporate, bringing the muddy consistency back to something a bit more stable. Finally, I wedged the clay together, ensuring that all air bubbles popped and all of the different bodies of clay were well mixed together. With all of the clay that I had saved throughout the semester, I was able to create many more ceramic projects while minimizing waste! 

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Maggie Oblak, "In a Week": All of the bones were sustainably and ethically sourced after animals had naturally passed away in their own environments. The bones are purposely left unbleached to show the imperfections and natural beauty of things found outside. 

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Khyronessa Avotri, "Our Brightening Night": Our Brightening Night is a warning about our impact on the environment all around, and especially above us. The waistline of the dress features a draped blue fabric to represent the Earth’s sky immediately after the pitch-black nightfall. The bodice of the dress features a black repurposed curtain with small cutouts of the inside of chip bags to represent sky glow. The dress’s skirt, covered in the aluminum casing of bag waste, embodies the bright night skies that await the Earth if light pollution is not regulated and advocated for. While enchanting to look at, Our Brightening Night sparks reconsideration of something not often considered during the nighttime: natural light. Light pollution is a really understated issue among many climate changes, and this is just one great way to remind people that it exists and we can/should do something about it! 

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Regina Torrance, “U.S. Brig Niagara”: I was inspired to make the U.S. Brig Niagara as it connects to the history of the world and how we have traveled to where we are over time. It is one of the most notable tall ships, and it was used in our fight for freedom against an oppressing power. Currently we are facing our own fight against global warming and need to have the strength to take action against oppressive forces. 

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Paige Nootbaar, "Slide Lamp": I love the idea of looking at other people’s photos, seeing a small glimpse into their life. This lamp is made from old slide photos that I thrifted. When the light comes through, you can catch a glimpse of memories: children laughing, stained glass windows, a new house on the day a family moves in. Take a moment to look and get lost in others' memories.   

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Saffron Meli, “Sailor hat, blue footed booby shirt, fish pants, and raincoat” : I am passionate about reusing materials and I am particularly fond of finding clothing that needs some work. All of my materials have been sourced secondhand and have given me an opportunity to learn more about myself and my sense of style, as well as how to bring out the best attributes of the unique piece. Each item of clothing is unique, and that personality dictates what I do with it. The pants were inspired by Red Hat creative's appliqué work.  

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Eve Carter, "Stars are Memories, and We Cherish Them": I made this ensemble titled Stars are Memories, and We Cherish Them. To save the glow in the dark stars I had as a kid, I turned the stars into buttons, repurposing the fond memories into something fresh and trendy. I'm inspired by the old starlight traveling to us from light years away. The piece shows that even though the starlight is old, we can still love the glow of the stars and cherish it today in our own ways, just as preloved clothes of different times can be loved again in different ways. The hoodie is salvaged from Wildlife Works Inc., an animal rehabilitation center I used to volunteer at near Greensburg. The dress is from the University of Pittsburgh’s campus thrift store Thriftsburgh, and the stars and embroidery floss were preowned by me or friends.  

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Lauren Ginsburg, "Not Just Ours": The ocean makes up over 70% of the world’s surface, and thousands of creatures call it their home. 11 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the ocean each year. This inspired me to create a jacket made entirely out of plastic bags. I wanted to make an impact and show just how much everyday life impacts the world. As the name of my piece suggests the world is not just ours and we need to remember the millions of species we share this wonderful planet with. I was inspired by the destruction that every day life causes to the ocean and animal habitats all around the world. My grandma helped me be able to have the skills of crochet to be able to create this piece. I have always loved to crochet ever since I learned and I wanted to use this skill to help make a difference. My mom also inspired me by always showing me how to reuse anything I could. 

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Sidney Rice, “Phantom of the Opera Suit and Gown”: These two pieces are designed by Sidney Rice, who has participated in our sustainable fashion show for several years! Her Phantom of the Opera Suit and Phantom of the Opera Gown are modeled by Paxton Risbano and Peyton Mauser. Sidney was tasked by Northland Library to create garments out of book pages inspired by the Phantom of the Opera for their annual gala!

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Mara Leroux, “Sunlight”: This cape represents not only sustainability but also family bonds. It was Inspired by the vibrant colors and patterns around Ozzie with multiple pieces of previously worn clothing and fabric scraps used to bring this vision to life. Towards the bottom of the cape, you'll find fabric featuring rockets and space robots, leftovers from the crib skirt his grandma made for Ozzie’s birth. With the help of Grandma Linda Pretz, Ozzie was able to connect with family and present the “Rainbow Cape”.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph. D., "Garden for the Ecosystem": This piece is built in the “intarsia” woodworking style, which utilizes the natural colors and grains of different wood species, sometimes dyed, and hand-cut on a scroll saw to create semi-3D sculptures. Most of my wood is sourced from scavenged and reclaimed lumber, including urban storm-felled trees and furniture maker waste that would otherwise end up burned or in a landfill. Many of my pieces focus on wildlife that can be seen here in Pittsburgh, such as foxes, squirrels, butterflies, and many species of birds. Being a renewable resource when harvested and used sustainably, wood remains one of the best media for creating art that can last generations and return to the earth safely at the end of its life. Unfortunately, this piece may well last beyond the existence of many species currently in peril due to habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, and unsustainable practices. Daniel is a Research Scientist at Pitt’s Institute for Precision Medicine developing human patient-derived organoid models to study breast cancer and other diseases. You can find his art online and social media at Laughing Mantis Studio. 

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Vasilisa Kosyreva, "Elements of Us": These art pieces portray how we are part of the earth and the earth is part of us. We are a cell of the Earth’s body, and our cells are part of our earth body and we can keep zooming out even further. Something that inspired me to make this is the strong connection to the Earth that I feel, and how that connection exists in all of us. We can all strive to see that connection and embrace it, living in balance with our mind and body and the planet around us. I wanted to emphasize how it is ok to be in my body as it is, living as a part of the Earth’s diverse ecosystem. 

The Youth Eco-Action Showcase: Sustainable Art & Fashion Gallery will be on display in Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes until Sun., Sept. 14.

Photos © Kitoko Chargois, Phipps Staff