Austin artist Montena Fink-Lacy has taken the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” to a whole new, and higher, level. In her paintings and photographs on exhibit at Cherokee Charm, the artist captures the uncommon beauty of the common detritus of society – the plastic flotsam that has fluttered and soared along America’s highways and byways, only to come to its uneasy rest in the grasping branches of trees or upon the unforgiving barbs of fences. “Forsaken” is a collection of acrylic paintings and photographic images of various items - mostly plastics - that have been picked up by the wind, hurled into the air, and carried off to become tangled, knotted, snagged, and stuck in trees and fences along the highways. Montena first began capturing images of these “works of art in their new environments - sculptures in motion” in 2008. “Though my friends affectionately call this the ‘trash series’, I don’t consider this trash,” says Montena. “I believe these images are metaphors of life and how it looks after taking an unexpected course. To the casual passerby these items may appear useless or ‘forsaken’, but to the curious they are treasures waiting to be discovered - inspirations of hope and beauty.” Montena is an accomplished painter with numerous awards, including local honors such as Top Ten Finalist in Hangar Orthopedics juried show, Artroduction, and runner-up Best in Show for Flatbed Press’ Gathering of Photographers Winter 2010 juried show. “Forsaken” is on exhibit through October at Cherokee Charm, located at, 7407 FM 2147 W. Horseshoe Bay 830-598-5363. “I’m excited to bring Montena’s work to a larger audience. There’s a very powerful statement about our society in her images. They are simultaneously beautiful and sad - and this artist has captured that essence.”