To a pioneer family living in America, nothing was taken for granted and everything had a purpose, or two, or three... A tin of coffee, something so common in our day to day life, was a cherished extravagance and was used sparingly. But once the coffee was gone, the tin it arrived in became an item more cherished than the contents it once held. Using a nail and hammer, the tin transformed into a lantern by which the children could do their studies at night, or that their father could use to lead him to the barn before
the sun came up.

Everything, every item a pioneer family was fortunate enough to acquire, found itself being used, reused and repurposed. Pioneers, by economic necessity, became a generation of true recyclers. Repurposing was a way of life and a key to the family’s survival. Pioneer thinking, perhaps necessitated by our current economic climate, is once again being embraced by the American culture. Our excitement for recycling has grown and evolved into finding new uses for old items. Research from the Natural Marketing Institute shows that nearly half of Americans now recycle common materials. And in a true sign of the movement taking hold, it’s not uncommon to see teens shopping in thrift and consignment shops - in fact, the “new cool thing to do” is to wear vintage dresses to school dances.

But many people are now taking recycling back to the days of the pioneer. Looking at things differently and finding creative ways to make everything old new again. In this vein, Geauga Park District is proud to present an exciting and unique art show rooted in rethinking, reusing and repurposing. The discARTedrecycled art exhibition is a 3 month community art show featuring creative works of art transformed from discarded/found materials.

Beautiful necklaces that in their former life were glossy fashion magazines. Purses - that once travelled the open road as a license plate... every piece of art you’ll see in this show was once something else; creatively conceived and formed into a work as unique as the artist that transformed it. You can come and see the artists’ work - and you can become the artist. All throughout the fall months, the Park District invites you to join in workshops where you can make your own jewelry and holiday decorations from discarded everyday items (like light bulbs, buttons and more). Or, bring the whole family out for the discARTed Family Art Day in December to create make-n-take art projects from recycled materials.