Mariah Reading is proving that art can protect the places it celebrates. The classically trained landscape painter made a major shift in her work after realizing that traditional canvases and materials were contributing to the environmental harm she cared deeply about. Her solution was a zero waste practice rooted in conservation.
While traveling across the country’s national parks, Reading began collecting discarded items left behind by visitors. From leather gloves and helmets to flip flops, plastic boxes, and even a folding chair, she transforms litter into unexpected canvases. On each found object, she paints detailed portraits of protected landscapes, then photographs the artwork against the real environments that inspired them.
As an Artist in Residence at parks including Denali, Zion, Guadalupe Mountains, and Acadia, Reading has created much of her work directly on site. She also volunteers as an Arts in the Parks coordinator, leading conservation workshops and creative lessons for students of all ages.
One of her most powerful pieces is “Lend A Hand,” a painting of Acadia National Park created on a discarded glove. Originally made during the COVID era, the artwork has taken on new meaning in recent months as Reading has spoken about the importance of continuing to teach science, climate awareness, and Indigenous history connected to public lands.
“There’s a lifetime of work to be done,” Reading told People Magazine, noting that the materials she uses will never be in short supply. In an artist statement, she added that leaving no trace is now more critical than ever and that her work is about lessening her footprint and leaving the Earth better than she found it.
By turning trash into tribute, Mariah Reading is reminding viewers that protecting public lands can start with something as small as picking up what was left behind.
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