Several weeks ago a group of artists from the Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard went beachcombing for plastics along Jobson's Cove in Warwick.The items are the basis of The Secret Life of Plastic, which opens Sunday at 5pm.It features work by Mary T Tatem, Christopher Grimes, Christopher Marson, Margaret Potts, Marlene Jantzen and Vernon Clarke and Michael Cacy.The Royal Gazette spoke with portrait artist Mr Clarke about the exhibit.Q: What have you created?A: I have been pondering the size and scale of the plastic refuse that we collected at Jobson's Cove. From there I started to construct some relative concept in my mind at first, but then to conceptualise some form of narrative that I could make into a story. ‘The Humpback Blues' came to me as I started to reconstruct the remnants of someone's discarded bike fender. It is part sculpture and part painting. It is pictured within a recycled frame (very apropos) laid in, poured in, glued in, drilled in and other forms of applications. The whole is arrived at through the many small elements I gathered. I wish that I had more time, but then that always seems to be the case.Q: Did you have an idea what you could create out of the rubbish you were collecting on Jobson's Cove?A: No, none at all! Some ideas came and went as I picked up but I wanted to keep an open mind until I came back and had time to look it over en masse.Q: Did you expect to find quite so much?A: I was shocked and a little horrified at the quantity. [Government Waste Education and Enforcement officer] Vanese Flood Gordon gave us a lecture prior to starting. She prompted us as to where to look. Thus prepared, we were very efficient in the selection of places and clues to look for.Q: Is this your first time on a beach clean-up?A: I have been on beach and cove clean-ups before, but this one, which took place on a rainy Saturday morning, was educational thanks to [Ms Flood Gordon's] input. Her information immediately gave me a sense of direction in terms of the bigger picture. Here, the environment took first place in the exercise. I then wanted to do something more didactic in order to get behind her educational priority.Q: What were some of the things you found that you have made use of in your project?A: Paintbrush handles, plastic bottle tops, plastic bottles, a bicycle fender, electrical insulators.Q: How have you found working in this medium?A: Very strange! Not my usual medium as you know, but I persisted. Then I started to use an element of paint which set me free to a greater extent. The combination of the two really set me on my way.Q: Have you felt challenged?A: Yes, most definitely!