Plastic Land evolved from a poem written for an environmental performance with Laure Drogoul. The initial performance of the poem was so well received that I continued to perform it publicly, receiving requests for copies and encouragement to create a book from it. 

The book addresses the problems inherent to plastic creation, use and disposal, bringing into question our excessive use of the material and our consumption habits. It is meant to inform and contains a section of lessons that follow the book's content. The lessons can be used by parents or teachers to help young people better understand the concepts that the book brings to light. 

As of 1/2024, the first complete draft is in the editing process and will be for sale through Amazon on or before Earth Day, 2024.

In May of 2023, I had the honor of being one of 14 international recipients of a 2 week residency entitled "Once Upon Water" at the Gibraltar Point Center for the Arts on Toronto Island in Canada. All artists were required to bring the theme of water into their creations. 

I was accepted as a writer and explored water through poetry, photography, self-portraits and jewelry. 

These two pieces are are the beginning of a series of "Women Warrior Breastplates" created to honor women trailblazers who have greatly contributed to social and environmental change. Both involve a large number of paper beads imprinted with text from their writings. Each required elaborate planning and meticulous craftsmanship. 

In Honor of Her Honor is a "Lace Collar/Women Warrior Breastplate" designed to echo the iconic collars worn by Supreme Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The piece is comprised of 1000 paper beads imprinted with excerpts from her dissenting opinions. 

“Earle Necklace” is created in honor of Dr. Sylvia Earle, a world reknown marine biologist, oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer. The piece is comprised of over 1800 paper beads cut imprinted with text from Dr. Earle's book, “The World is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean’s are One.”
 

Most of my work involves upcycled elements. I often use tins and old costume jewelry. These pieces utilize cold-connection methods for assembly. 

The production line pieces use fused plastic bags for their colorful portions with copper, brass and nickel for the metal portions and silver ear wires. 


 

For over a decade, Ms. Parlato has planned, marketed and executed exhibitions and public events to raise environmental awareness. 

This campaign is part of an effort to fight cigarette litter in downtown Baltimore. The posters feature The Cigarette Planet - a 30" mache globe covered with cigarette butts picked up off the streets of Baltimore.

In partnership with the Environmental Control Board of Baltimore and Waterfront Partnership, a Keep America Beautiful grant was obtained to fund the effort. The images are also used on Terracycle cigarette butt recycling containers in the southeast area of the inner harbor. 

Graphics designed for the Baltimore Office of Sustainability to promote the bag ban in Baltimore city. These graphics utilize bright colors, simple layouts and tongue-in-cheek humor from the point of view of the plastic bag, reminding Baltimoreans that bringing and using reusable bags helps reduce litter, save animals and avoid a bag fee. 

Over 30 finished graphics were supplied to the Baltimore Office of Sustainability for promotional use. 

This campaign is in use in southwest Baltimore by The Southwest Partnership. The campaign approaches the litter problem with a neighborhood/team/pride approach instead of a "wagging-finger", don't litter approach, avoiding the defensive response that can happen when people are "told what to do".

The posters feature SWP residents who already work within their neighborhoods to keep their sidewalks and streets clean. 

I hope to have other neighborhoods adopt the theme/poster series and would like to use photographs of people in those neighborhoods to encourage personal investment.