American artist uses trash to make portraits

San Francisco-based artist Jason Mecier has utlised trash to make portraits of celebrities.

What's even more, he has even convinced many of them to donate their personal rubbish to him - all in the name of art, Daily Mail reported.

He turns the individual contributions into portraits which have become so popular now that some well-known figures are actually approaching him to commission artwork of their cast away items.

Lady Gaga's portrait was from her 2009 Hello Kitty shoot but Mecier's interpretation shows her rubbish face against a back drop of green circuit boards and a kermit the frog doll head.

Giving new meaning to the word celeb junkie, the portrait uses old cobra beer bottle tops, casino chips, tootbrushes and cigarettle lighters that would normally be discarded.

He has even done US President barack Obama's 3-D portrait, although it is unlikely he provided the trash.

His artwork has been put together using cigarette boxes, asthma inhalers, election paraphernalia and lots of items commonly found in the back of an old sofa or desk drawer.

Mecier says his love of creating art using unusual materials began when he was a child, where he would use beans, noodles and yarn to make artwork to sell at bazaars and scout groups.

His work has become popular with art lovers as well as hoarders, who have long maintained that their trash isn't just a pile of old rubbish.

Other celebrities who have asked for the portraits include Chris Rock, Pink, Tori Spelling and Chelsea Handler whose portrait includes empty vodka bottles, a Snuggie box, Martini glasses, bottle opener, buttons, batteries, chapstick, dice, pens, badges and movie tickets.