Keweenaw Krayons features Recycled-Art Program beginning June 1, 2

Hannah Kariniemi, 10, of Fulton, holds up a bag made of fabric samples and recycled materials in a sewing class taught at Keweenaw Krayons by fiber artist Liz Johnson of Eagle Harbor. (Photos courtesy Keweenaw Krayons)

MOHAWK -- Youth, families, educators, artists as well as visitors and the general public are invited to attend a Recycling Art Sampler, facilitated by artist, Margaret Gerhard on Monday, June 1, and Tuesday, June 2, at Keweenaw Krayons, located in the Mohawk School. The Sampler will kick off a summer-long recycled-art program.

Monday’s (June 1) session will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Tuesday's (June 2) will be from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A special session for Horizons’ students and staff will be held on Tuesday during the day.

Registrations for the Recycled Art Sampler as well as the Found Object Garden Sculpture can be made by calling 337-4706 or emailing staff@keweenawkrayons.com. While all ages are welcome, youth younger than six are asked to bring an older teen or an adult along.

On Tuesday, June 16, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Darlene Basto will be present to facilitate work on the ongoing project, "Found Object Garden Sculpture," which was started last fall.

Horizons Alternative High School recently won the first Green School certificate in the western Upper Peninsula from the non-profit organization, Michigan Green Schools. Social Studies teacher Brad Wickstrom served as coordinator for the school’s recycling and energy conservation program.

"This recycled-art project fits in very well with what the students have been learning all year," said Horizons Principal, Chris Davidson.

Another student in fiber artist Liz Johnson's sewing class, Stephanie Harry, 10, of Gay, sews a bag at Keweenaw Krayons.

Gerhard, who resides in Wisconsin, says her "Mother Nature" persona "isn’t a job, but a passion." Often referred to as the "Queen of Green," the oldest of 13 children, she learned the benefits of recycling as a child. As an art teacher in West Green Bay, Gerhard turned even more to creating recycled art when her budget was cut. Today she continues to recycle products that would otherwise go to the landfill. She creates art out of wallpaper scraps, old greeting cards, record albums, CDs, placemats, magazines, carpet samples, old buttons, discarded jeans and what she calls "stuff and junk."

"We have always made art out of otherwise discarded objects," said Carol Rose, Keweenaw Krayons Interim Director. "Margaret has been one of our recycled-art teachers for a number of years, and we always have a good turn-out at classes she teaches."

Fiber artist Liz Johnson of Eagle Harbor has been teaching sewing lessons for youth since March of this year, using fabric samples and donated material to make shopping bags and quilts. The bags will be for sale at Johnson's Eagle Lodge Gift Shop, with all profits going to Keweenaw Krayons. Eagle Lodge is located on M-26 ten miles north of Eagle Harbor and four miles from Copper Harbor.

Stephanie Harry proudly displays her finished bag, made of donated recycled materials at Keweenaw Krayons.

"While there is no charge for the Recycled Art Sampler or any of the summer classes and open studio time, we are requesting that participants consider donating some of their finished work to Keweenaw Krayons," Rose stated. "We’ll then have these items for sale at our art center, the Eagle Lodge Gift Shop and other businesses around the area as well as the various art fairs in which Keweenaw Krayons participates. This is a way to ensure we can keep our doors open and our programs free or low-cost."

The Recycled Art Project is funded in part through the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Copper Country Community Arts Council and the Denise Marth Memorial Grant through the Superior Child Abuse Prevention Council.

"We’ll be doing gardening, too, where we’ll be recycling our food with rich compost from our worm bin," Rose said. "We’ll also do garden art."

Keweenaw Krayons is located in the FAR South end of Horizons Alternative High School -- the former Mohawk School, 110 Stanton Ave., Mohawk.

Visit the Keweenaw Krayons Web site for more information.