A Fun Project for A Stay-At-Home Family – Eco-Art

Are you a Visalia student or Tulare County adult stressed out at home? Redirect that stress and boredom into creating a prize-winning art piece by utilizing discarded plastic, cardboard, paper, or aluminum cans without using any paint. Anchor materials together with glue, tape, wire, or soldering. If you can cut, paste and recognize recyclables, are enrolled in a Visalia school or are an adult living in Tulare County, you qualify to enter Visalia’s first annual “EcoCreate Recycle Art Contest”. Enter by the August 15 deadline and you might win one of many prizes with the adult first place winner awarded $250.

This contest: (1) was designed to coincide with this year’s 50th anniversary celebration of Earth Day which has now been cancelled; (2) recognizes that recycling can protect the environment; (3 ) to honor the talents of Visalia students and Tulare County adults; and (4) is funded by a generous grant from Visalia Art Consortium.

Various levels and categories give opportunities for Tk-12th grade Visalia students and adults. Each entry must be the work of one Individual with others giving suggestions and guidance. Great prizes await the most original artistic entries in each category. Maybe your idea for an animal, jewelry, a weird robot, a picture, or abstract art will be one of our winners.

Trouble getting started. Need some ideas for a project? Hundreds of amazing, original examples for all skill levels and interests can be found online by searching “recycle art” projects. Directions require projects be made with “used” recyclables approved by Tulare County such as plastics, paper, cardboard, magazine, soda cans, wood, plant material, bulk mail, etc. No need to purchase anything except glue. Drawing your design will help determine the shapes of the objects and mediums to be collected. A helpful note of advice: since paint is not allowed and to create interest and depth to a picture or flat object, select recyclables with different colors, designs, and textures.

Kathy Falconer, one of the promoters of this art contest, explained, “You Tube offers ways to reshape, cut, and design with paper, plastic, and aluminum cans. I was amazed how plastic can be smoothed, curled, and reformed by passing it back and forth above a candle flame and then gently

pressing down on a heat resistant surface. For the younger child, a hair dryer can be used instead of a candle.” She added, “I really did not know how to work with soda cans and found a neat way to produce flat sheets of aluminum. To protect from cutting yourself and to prevent from bending the can, slide it inside a Pringles container that has both ends removed. Gently squeeze the cardboard. Cut off the soda can lids with a box cutter and then cut the can in half lengthwise with scissors. You can create all kinds of shapes from ears to feathers to fringe – even a firetruck!

For the younger artist, paper is a great medium. Curl it, cut into strips or shapes and glue onto a drawing of their favorite animal or character. No need to buy any paper. Magazines and junk mail have amazing graphics and lettering for original pieces of art.”

Ready to win? Gather the family around the kitchen table, collect all those recyclables from cupboards, bins, and toy boxes, and collect your tool supplies to include glue, a glue gun, scissors, and a box cutter.

For guidelines and application details go to www. gogreenvisalia.com. Click on “Earth Day” then “Recycle Trash into Art Contest”. All entries are entered as jpgs so no need to leave home. Enter by August 15 just a few weeks away. Submit your project and you could WIN one of many great prizes! GOOD LUCK!

CONTACT: Kathy Falconer, Co-Chair Visalia’s Earth Day 2020, Member of Visalia Environment Committee [email protected], 310.995.6295

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