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It's Got To Be Trash To Win This Contest

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By KLINT LOWRY

The Suncoast News

Published: February 4, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - In art, the term "mixed media" refers to artwork made from a combination of materials. The media is about as mixed as it gets among the 101 entries in the 12th annual Art of Recycling competition.

Art of Recycling, now on display in the lobby of the West Pasco County Government Center, is a joint effort of the Pasco County School District, Pasco County Utilities, Pasco County Public Services and the Pasco Fine Arts Council and supported by more than a dozen community businesses, organizations and individuals.

Its purpose is to present the concept of recycling in an entertaining way that, its organizers hope, inspires participants and viewers alike to consider the range of possibilities when a little imagination is applied to otherwise discarded materials.

High school artists from across the county, working under a simple set of guidelines, supply the imagination. Their entries can be in any art style - prints, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, architecture, wearable art and others that defy categorization - so long as they are made from 70 percent recycled materials and convey an environmental theme.

As they do every year, the entries display both a serious dose of environmental consciousness and an infinite supply of imagination.

Of all the ways used to promote recycling, this easily has become a community favorite, said Jennifer Seney, Pasco County recycling coordinator, as she strolled among the entries.

"People love this event. They think it's wonderful," Seney said, adding that she shares that sentiment.

"What impresses people most is the level of involvement," Seney said. As someone dedicated to promoting recycling, passing from entry to entry, seeing the time, thought and energy invested by so many teens year in and year out, gives her a sense of hope for the future.

It's Art With A Message

The key to popularity of the Art of Recycling event is that it has succeeded as an environmental message and as a display of creativity. Though the focus is on recycling, there is a serious component of creative competition. The art is judged in a dozen categories, with prizes of $100 to $500 in each.

Some of the categories lean toward the environmental aspect of the event, including Best Use of Newspaper, Best Environmental Concept and Best Use of Materials.

Bottles and cans are prevalent elements of the entries, Seney said. Ryan Beeble of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School used 332 soda cans to create an "Ameri-Can Flag." Kristen Chavez of Ridgewood High School created an oversized disposable soda bottle out of plastic soda bottle tops.

The use of battles and cans makes sense, Seney said. They're abundant. School recycling bins are a treasure trove for the artists.

Pushing The Trash Envelope

To get the students thinking beyond cans and bottles, categories such as "Best Use of Newspaper" were invented. That category was created because of the large amount of newsprint in the waste stream.

Other prizes focus on the art as art, including a People's Choice Award.

For participating high school seniors, there is a chance at a $1,000 scholarship. A committee selects the recipient based on grades, a brief essay, the applicant's planned course of study for college and other considerations, said Karen Bryant, the school district recycling coordinator and a member of the Art of Recycling committee.

Bryant shared Seney's enthusiasm for the event and its effect on participants and the public alike.

"The Pasco Art of Recycling is a great way for our students to express their creativity and their compassion for recycling," Bryant said. "With its creative and intriguing artwork, it helps address the need for our community to recycle and conserve.

"In my opinion, if the show encourages even just one more person to recycle, then it has done its job."
Seney echoed that sentiment and added that she hopes a lot of people come to see the display to be inspired and entertained.

The Art of Recycling will remain on exhibit at the county government center, 7530 Little Road, through Feb. 18. Winners will be announced at a reception Thursday.

Once the exhibit closes, the winning pieces will be transferred to the school district headquarters, off U.S. 41 in Land O' Lakes, where they will be displayed through Feb. 23.

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