Waste and Wonder: Chesapeake Arts Center’s Recycled Art Exhibition

Chesapeake Arts Center’s “Waste and Wonder” exhibit presents art made out of recycled materials that have been rejected and are considered to be waste.

“Waste and Wonder” mirrors the global recycled arts movement where artists create pieces that display their artistic expression in combination with environmental awareness. The recycled art pieces are meant to make statements about social change and encourage people to become more conscious of their environmental impacts to ensure the protection and well-being of our planet.

The exhibit showcases works made up of many unique repurposed mediums from featured artists like Ursula Seckel, Carolyn Parker, and Steven Krueger. Dried paint peels, eye droppers, toys, old television parts, jewelry, bottlecaps, wires, candy wrappers, driftwood, and plastic waste, were all some of the media that artists used to create their pieces.

Sculptures, paintings, and practical/functional decor can be found at the exhibit. Some artists have even made their pieces interactive by including a QR code that leads viewers to further descriptions of the piece so one can learn more about the work they are looking at, its purpose, and how it was made.

One standout piece is “Waste Stream” by artist and activist, Ursula Seckel. The piece is made using an old salvaged closet door, leftover acrylic paint, adhesive, plastic lids, caps, toys, beads, paper, and other waste.

Seckel utilizes these materials to spell out the word “stream.” Additionally, the names of the 130 tributaries of the Potomac River are decoupaged on the sides of the piece. Seckel notes that while many of the pollutants we see every day like trash, are visible, some forms of pollutants are not.

Many people do not consider things like silt and sediment from erosion after land is cleared of trees, industrial pollution, pesticides, fertilizers, and road salt since they are often not visible. This is why the lids, caps, toys, and plastic waste in her piece are meant to represent the pollutants that people cannot see.

A portion of the sales from many of Seckel’s pieces will be donated to various charities. With this piece in particular, she plans to donate 15% of the proceeds of the sale to the Potomac Conservancy to help their efforts of restoring the water quality and hopefully eventually making it safe for swimming and fishing.

Another piece, which was actually designed to be functional, is Carolyn Parker’s “Rootings Rack.” This piece made out of hard bent hot rolled steel rod, expanded metal, ceiling fan blades, and clip-on earrings can be utilized for plant propagation and has spots to hold plant cutting vases.

Not only is the piece made of recycled material, but its intended use is environmentally friendly as well.

Artist, Steven Krueger aims to invoke emotional responses from those who view his artworks. For this exhibit, Krueger has two works on display, which are sculptures of abstract-looking masks.

The masks give off an eerie feeling, causing the viewer to grapple with the reality of climate change and reflect on themselves and their own actions that have effects on the environment.

Every piece is different. Many artists use their recycled art pieces to highlight issues of climate change, while others intend only to create pleasing artworks in their typical styles, just using a more climate-friendly approach.

But overall, the exhibit provides a unique and engrossing experience into the local art world, with the advantage of being an educational experience where one can take away enriching knowledge of their environment, and awareness of climate change-related issues.

Most of the pieces are up for sale and the exhibit is viewable until January 9, 2025, at the Hal Gomer Gallery.