Local Transforms Old Trash into Modern Art

Paula Kim literally takes yesterday's news and fashions it into a three-dimensional work of art.

The San Ramon artist makes shellac-shiny and colorful paper mache figures out of old newspaper and magazine clippings. And through June 23, her work is on display at the city's Dougherty Valley Community Center.

Ballerinas clad in wrinkled paper skirts, a worm pasted together from paper flower cut-outs and two stick-figure little girls pasted together with paper from an AT&T advertisement adorn the center's walls.

Walk down the first hallway to the right at the center, and you can find newspaper wreaths with painted flowers, a Felix the Cat-like paper cat holding a fish and rows of Kim's handmade greeting cards. Some of the wall art was made from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods paper grocery bags.

"The style is straight from a happy dream," said LuAnne Duncan, a stay-at-home mom who stopped by Tuesday afternoon to check out the gallery. "I feel like they came from a child's imagination."

At a glance
Kim's repurposed art is on display during the community center's normal business hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.

For information, call the center at 973-3350 or visit the city's website at www.sanramon.ca.gov.