Plastics pollution is overwhelming, creativity is an entry point.

We were asked to collaborate on a virtual workshop on plastics pollution. At first, we weren’t sure it was a fit. Our work is intentionally about creativity, and while we know education is essential, we don’t lead with it. We lead with an invitation to be creative, and then we talk about where the materials come from. Upcycling is not a solution, it is a demonstration of the value and possibility in materials leftover from their first use. We educate as we play.  

And then, in our first conversation with Cathi Lehn, of Sustainable Cleveland and multi-media artist Ron Shelton, it became clear that this WAS a creative invitation. And the problem IS daunting, but it’s worth getting closer to. The truth is, most Americans, are not as close to the plastics problem as many people in other countries are. Plastics pollution is a personal journey that reflects back our lifestyle choices, personal purchases, diets, and waste streams. And also the throw-away consumer society we live in. If we wonder how much of a problem plastics are, consider the research of Richard Kirby, who has documented plankton ingesting plastics in our oceans. From our waste streams. The idea of throwing it away changes forever when we realize ‘away’ is affecting the living environments of animals and people. 

Join us for our virtual workshop where we’ll get into the topic and also get into creative expression of plastics pollution. As an artist, Ron has taken on plastics as a medium to create work and make connections between people around the problem. He constructs wire structures called Art Caps that he encourages artists and individuals to embellish with plastic waste. Check out his educational art project with third grade students at Cleveland’s Dennison Elementary School. And his international non-profit High Art Fridays, that showcases other artists, many doing environmentally responsive work. Here’s a video of his project that got us really excited to partner with him!

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On Saturday, September 12th, at 10am,

we met virtually for our own Art Hat workshop.

Here’s the recording of our workshop, and thanks to Cathi Lehn for breaking it down below!  

Approximate times:
0:00 Nicole McGee starts the meeting
3:36 Cathi Lehn gives presentation on plastics and plastic pollution
11:36 Nicole McGee gives introduction to the Upcycle Parts Shop
19:40 Ron Shelton talks about the Art Hats
39:30 Nicole McGee talks about her Hat
43:30 We visit RampArts Gallery with Julie Verdon
49: 50 Q&A
55:07 Nicole McGee gives next steps
1:06:00 Additional announcements and meet some of the artists

Join us for the next part of the fun, a sidewalk parade in which we share what we created from our own wire frames on Saturday, Oct. 10th at 2pm!

Below: Third grader Angelo’s art cap is on the left and Ron Shelton designed the two on the right. See more examples here.