Earth Day 2008

‘Trash’ At Mocha: Turning Recyclables Into Art

By Kendra Bobowick

Reuse, recycle, reinvent… if you can.

Turn trash into something easier on the eye is the test being offered for the first Earth Day Artist’s Competition.

All artists are challenged to create works made predominantly (70 percent or more) out of recycled materials. Use whatever is at hand, says Mocha Coffee House co-owner Rob Kaiser, who picked April 22 — Earth Day — as the deadline for submissions to a contest that opened this week. The event is being sponsored by Newtown Cultural Arts Commission in cooperation with The Newtown Clean Energy Task Force.

Artists are encouraged to use whatever material they have in abundance and at hand, according to a flyer being distributed by Mr Kaiser. The idea to turn recyclable materials into art began brewing when he worked with Dan Holmes of Holmes Fine Gardens, who is also the task force chairman.

In the spirit of recycling, the idea is now enjoying a second chance.

“It’s an old idea,” Ms Kaiser said. “It really came out of a personal interest for found art.” Mr Holmes’s garden center had begun to accumulate plastic planting pots, which are not recyclable, and Mr Kaiser didn’t know what to do with the containers. “We wanted creative uses,” he explained. They held a competition to apply creativity to reusing the planters, and once again, the idea for “found art” has resurfaced for Earth Day 2008.

Mr Kaiser has set an example for the competition by submitting a his own artwork. His time spent daily at the coffeehouse prompted him to use leftover milk jugs to form the “green” sculpture of a man. With his submission completed, he is eager to see what others will invent.

“I hope people are creative and find something they have around to turn into art,” he said. Work should promote the credo: “Reuse, recycle, reinvent,” as stated in the flyer. He believes artists have some of the answers.

“We are such a consumer society, there is so much waste, we’ll need a lot of creativity and artists have that in abundance,” he said.

The judged Earth Day Artist’s Competition will accept entries is open through April 22. Although he did not have specifics for the shape and size of entries, Mr Kaiser made a request: “I would like them to be a manageable size.” He intends to display all the Earth Day art all at once on the walls of the Glen Road coffeehouse.

The winner will be announced on April 25.

The competition brings it all together for Mr Kaiser, who has worked with the task force on its Earth Day efforts. He also seeks to display local artists’ work regularly.

Pick up an entry form at Mocha or visit MochaCoffeeHouse.com.

Additional Happenings

For Earth Day

Newtown residents can also observe Earth Day with an event being planned for Saturday, April 26. From 10 am to noon at Newtown Middle School, The Newtown Energy Task Force will be presenting an Earth Day Fair.

The Candlewood Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited will offer an educational session. Also throughout the day will be information available about alternative energy choices, green living methods and products, organic foods, and more.

Head outdoors and hike on an Ecology Walk and learn about recent open space acquisitions, backyard ecology, wetland protection, and more. Meet at the middle school at 2 pm. Those more interested in a quick lesson can enjoy the presentation, “What is an Aquifer?” in the middle school gymnasium between 10 am and 2 pm.

The NHS Ecology Club and Pootatuck Watershed Association will need volunteers to help them mark storm drains (plan to meet at 8 am at the middle school for that), and conservationist Pat Barkman will conduct Al’s Trail Maintenance between 10 am and 2 pm (also departing from the middle school).

Residents throughout town are urged to make an effort with their neighbors to “adopt a road” and do a roadside cleanup along their street.

“I hope many residents will find time to participate in one or more events and do their seemingly small, yet critical en-masse effort,” Mr Holmes wrote in an email. Contact him at 270-3331 for additional information about volunteer opportunities and Earth Day offerings.