Jill Pitko: Sculpting Ripples of Change Through Recycled Art

“Giant Jellyfish,” a recycled materials sculpture by Jill Pitko and Girl Scout Troop 2143. Currently on display at CMAST in Morehead City, NC.
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Jill Pitko: Sculpting Ripples of Change Through Recycled Art
Interview by
Green IBIS Research
 
Green IBIS Research is built on the idea that education and creativity are powerful tools for sustainability, and that even small ideas can spark meaningful change. Artist Jill Pitko embodies this vision. Known for her work in bronze sculpture, Jill has recently shifted her artistic practice to focus on environmental impact, STEAM education, and public outreach. Her latest project a large-scale jellyfish made entirely from recycled plastics was created in collaboration with her daughter’s Girl Scout troop and is now on display at the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) in Morehead City, NC.
I had the opportunity to speak with Jill by phone about her approach to sustainability, her work with young people, and the influence artists can have on public awareness.
From Bronze to Bottles: An Artistic Evolution
“I've always had my hands in the art world,” Jill reflects on her early days working in bronze. “But this actually combines both my left and right brains: creativity and a STEM focus involving kids in education, and sustainability too.”
With a background in mechanical engineering and a minor in sculpture, Jill’s shift to sustainability-focused art represents more than a change in medium, it’s a reimagining of how art can serve as a tool for public education and environmental awareness. Her recent work incorporates local wood, found objects, and discarded plastics, materials chosen not only to reduce environmental impact but to provoke deeper reflection about permanence, value, and waste.
This transition reflects what educators and researchers are now identifying as a vital shift: the need for interdisciplinary, cooperative approaches to sustainability education. In their systematic review, Amanova et al. (2025) emphasize how STEAM education, where science and engineering meet art and creativity, supports the development of critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills essential for addressing global challenges like climate change. Jill’s approach mirrors this fusion by using sculpture to foster both ecological awareness and creative engagement among children.
Similarly, Bassachs et al. (2020) argue that educational experiences grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration help learners develop competencies needed for sustainable development. Jill’s work exemplifies this approach by connecting visual storytelling, material reuse, and youth participation in a way that transforms art into action. In creating something meaningful from discarded materials and involving children in the process her work becomes a catalyst for education, dialogue, and sustainable imagination.
Plastic with a Purpose
Her jellyfish sculpture, towering, with a cascade of glinting oral arms, is unmistakably made from plastic, is designed to provoke reflection.“We’re constantly bombarded by plastic,” Jill explains. “I left the labels on the tentacles on purpose to show how impossible it is to avoid plastic, even when you're trying.”Though the sculpture mirrors the fluid grace of a real jellyfish, the gleaming tendrils are patched with branded plastic, highlighting an ironic entanglement between organic form and consumer debris. This piece is not just about recycling, it’s about confronting the ubiquity of single-use systems and calling for broader change.
As Powers, Renner, and Prowse (2024) explain, artistic engagement with plastic waste can serve as a powerful tool for environmental education, especially when it provokes reflection on the relationship between human consumption and ecological disruption. In Jill’s case, her sculpture stands as a tactile and visual reminder that the plastic crisis is not abstract, it’s embedded in everyday life. “Visual impact,” she says, “can speak better than a thousand words.”
Community Collaboration & Youth EmpowermentThe jellyfish sculpture was brought to life through a collaboration with Girl Scout Troop 2143, including Jill’s own daughter. As part of their “Agent of Change” journey, the troop explored how creativity could amplify their voices and create meaningful contributions to their community.
“All you can do is create a little ripple,” Jill says. “It’s up to others to propagate it, until it becomes something bigger.”
Involving young people in the making process gave the project deeper meaning and helped the girls see their power to affect real-world issues. Collaborative art projects like this one are increasingly recognized for their ability to empower youth and foster community resilience. As Thompson (2019) notes, shared creative experiences can offer young participants a sense of belonging, agency, and investment in the places they inhabit.
Jill’s sculpture exemplifies this idea: made with children, for the community, and about our collective responsibility to protect the environment.
Art as Public Education
Now installed at CMAST, the jellyfish will soon move to the Beaufort Library, where it will be featured alongside a Smithsonian exhibition and viewed by children attending summer programs. Jill hopes the sculpture will continue to “migrate, like real jellyfish, around our community,” reaching public libraries, aquariums, and parks with its message about ocean plastic pollution.
Beyond public sculpture, Jill is developing sea-themed sculptural furniture inspired by coral reefs and marine creatures. She also hopes to involve students in 3D printing and digital modeling projects that connect ocean conservation with STEAM learning.
“I want kids to 3D print and sculpt coral and sea creatures,” she explains. “I want them to connect science and art to the health of the ocean and to know they can use creativity to make change.”
Advice for Fellow Creators
Jill urges other artists and educators to anchor their work in what matters most to them, and to involve their communities.
“Art made with the community becomes part of the community,” she says, “and that makes the message stronger.”
Whether you live near the ocean or in a city with air pollution or unsafe water, she believes everyone can use creativity to address local issues and create change.
​References
Amanova, A. K., Butabayeva, L. A., Abayeva, G. A., Umirbekova, A. N., Abildina, S. K., & Makhmetova, A. A. (2025). A systematic review of the implementation of STEAM education in schools. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(1), em2568. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15894
Bassachs, M., Cañabate, D., Serra, T., & Colomer, J. (2020). Interdisciplinary cooperative educational approaches to foster knowledge and competences for sustainable development. Sustainability, 12(20), 8624. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208624
Powers H, Renner K, Prowse V. Plastic pollution and environmental education through artwork. Cambridge Prisms: Plastics. 2024;2:e9. doi:10.1017/plc.2024.7    
Thompson, N. (2019). Collaborative art: A transformational force within communities. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 53(4), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1086/705023
 
 

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