Recycled Art

I went to an art show the other day. It was sponsored by the DEP and Waste Management amd featured thebwork of Norristown Area School District children who had been involved in a project to make art out of trash. More specifically art from recycled items. It was fascinating, a d this picture is of one of my favorites. It is made from water bottles that were colored and then cut up to spiral and then attached to the panel. I love its bright, yet suble, coloring.

I think it is great that an art project like this is done. I hope it showed the kids that everything doesn't have to be thrown away, but can be useful in another way. We are such a disposable nation and are paying for it with the existance of land fills and increased pollution to the planet. Some of the kids said tney were doing projects at home because of this experience.

I know a simple project like this is not going to change the world, bjt it can have an impact. When the children learn that things you buy can have another life it puts a thougt into thier heads to spark their creativity. I hope it also sparks their thinking as to how we can create things that do not make trash, but that has value in and of itself.

My Creative Husband

Sometime last year, my husband talked to the owner of a bicycle shop whom he knows.  He asked that the owner call him if a bicycle was brought in that was beyond repair.  His thought was that we could paint it up and display it on the wall of our house over the flower garden.  

A few weeks ago the call came through that a bicycle was available.  It was in a flood and was too rusted out to have anything done about it, at least as far as putting it back to riding condition. 

So we went over and picked it up and brought it back to the house.  We took the wheels and started painting.   We decided that if we hung it from the fence rather than on the house, we could enjoy it while sitting on the patio.  Besides we would not have to cut off the handlebars.  So he put up a piece of board in the spot that a fence panel was (it had been missing for a while and our neighbor did not replace it) and hung the bike from there.  I think it looks pretty cool, and a really different piece of “artwork” for the garden.

Behind the Scenes

On Saturday Norristown held its third Arts Hill Festival.  The weather cooperated and the day was filled with music, art, dance, and food.  My husband and I volunteered, more because our good friend was a coordinator of the event, than our love for the arts and were at the site at 6am.  We started by running cable for the lights and sound – just like we did last year.  I was then given the responsibility of managing the main tent which comprised of two stages with alternating acts on each.  My main job was to make sure the acts arrived on time, went on at the right time, and had what they needed.  I had a few volunteers helping me, one of which operated the lights. I then ended the day pulling the cables out and helping pack up.  It was basically a 12 hour day and at the end I was really no good for anything else except relaxation.

I am not sure many people think about what happens behind the scenes at such an event.  There are many others who help get the show on the stage operating the lights and making sure the sound is correct, along with all the other facets of the show.  I think this experience has helped me understand that there is much more to any performance than meets the eye.  There are people who are working long hours to make sure you are entertained and these are not just the people on the stage.  It is a package deal and if it all goes well one never notices the “little people” because they are concentrating on the show.  The stars of the show get all the attention with the paparazzi following them and all fans screaming, but in the world of entertainment to me the real stars are the ones behind the scenes.