For Carmichaels Area High School art students, the pandemic put many things on hold last year, including a collaborative project with Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.
In 2019, the Carmichaels Area High School Art Department received a grant from the Community Foundation of Greene County to develop a partnership with Creative Reuse. According to their website, “Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse is a non-profit that inspires creativity, conservation, and community engagement through reuse. We facilitate hands-on creative programming that educates the public about the benefits of reuse for the environment, community, and self.” Through this organization, teaching artists traveled to the school to work with students in grades 9-12 to collaborate on an installation around these ideas. The installation would be made from objects and materials that may have otherwise been discarded, showing that art can be created by repurposing and reusing rather than throwing away and contributing to pollution. This was not only an art education experience, but an example of the impact that people have on the environment.
Unfortunately, the project was left in the beginning stages before school moved to virtual instruction, and students could no longer work with the teaching artists and complete the artwork. High school art teacher Marlynn White continued the project this school year with a new design and inspiration, with the help of maintenance supervisor, Dave Franks.
After researching “plastic pollution” and its effects on the environment, specifically water, students in Art II and Advanced Art classes decided to create a work of art that would be impactful and relatable to our own community. Students designed a large wall-hanging sculpture representing the rainbow trout made entirely of reclaimed materials and “trash” including plastic toys, artificial flowers, cassette tapes, and even babies’ shoes.
The fish assemblage will be unveiled at the High School Art Show, located in the high school cafeteria, on Thursday, May 13, 2021. The exhibition is open to the public at limited capacity from 6pm–8pm. Along with the assemblage, other artwork from throughout this school year and last will be on display.
