Actively participating in Earth Day, artists in Forest Park gathered for a public exhibit of art made from repurposed items.
Reimagining waste from our daily lives was the challenge set by Commissioner Michelle Melin- Rogovin after recently completing the Chicago Conservation Corps (C3) training. This event was used to spread the lessons and connect community to engage with community members on a small scale.
C3 teaches leaders about sustainable agriculture, food access, waste reduction, and the aim to support green-living projects throughout Chicago and near suburbs. In addition, leaders have access to more resources and connections to scale up local change.
Leaning on the strong arts and environmentally conscious networks in Forest Park, Melin-Rogovin partnered with the village’s environmental commission and the Forest Park Arts Alliance to spread the word in a call to artists.
The call was answered and the show featured 10” x10” art that was made with a variety of materials including plastic caps, paper scraps, a record, plastic bags, objects tucked away in drawers, and items found on the sidewalk during a walk.
“Something now exists where there was nothing,” said Melin- Rogovin. “Something that was considered to be of no value has been transformed by art into something of value.”
Resident and local artisan, Meghan Hunt used the mesh netting that is used to package purchased fruits and vegetables to create her “For the Love of Flowers.” Her reflections of the simple fruits and vegetables which are born from the earth then enter the global marketplace. This includes farmers, harvesters, migrant workers, packers, packaging, shipping, storage, showcasing and all the additional connections and micro plastics introduced along the way before coming to her home. She reshaped the vibrant colors of the mesh bags from onions, avocados, sweet potatoes and garlic into flowers. “The flowers are surrounded by packing paper from shipping boxes that reflect how things come to us.”
Susan Baus repurposed cereal boxes and other packaging to create a woven tablecloth for her “Forever Still Life.” Reimagining six-pack yokes as flowers, alongside colored dried allium and sage grass were part of the focal point. Mimicking lily-in-the-valley in the vases with egg cartons, reusing pill bottles, and an embellished ruffle from candy wrappers made a maximizing impact at the base. Showing her whimsy and charm, she set a small table for a guest beetle to enjoy a glass of wine.
Louis Rivera created an interactive piece sending people to the village website included using fragments from his art, found objects and Forest Park trinkets in a wooden frame. Rethinking uses for old plates, bowls and cups Deb McNichols designed a clever bird feeder and craftsman Steve Metro repurposed wood into a stunning checkered board.
Embracing beauty and hope was a common theme throughout the exhibit. Participants were awarded upcycled cardboard “ribbons,” Nature Museum passes and gift cards to WasteShed, a non-profit reuse art supply center. Connecting with other community members gave an additional layer of optimism to access for experience to take action in sustainability principles and practices in daily living in town.