Judging recycled art
June 30th, 2008, 10:05 am · Post a Comment · posted by Aaron
Sorry kids, I might have been a little harsh — or just a jerk.
On Friday, Rosa at the Desert Discovery Center invited me to judge the entries for the city’s recycled art competition. Quite an honor considering my extensive background in art — one required course in college — and recycling — three years working for the recycling program in college.
I judged the pieces on use of recycled materials, portrayal of theme (it was something patriotic) and creativity, and I guess I was pretty harsh. I glanced over at few fellow judges sheets and saw that my scores for all the pieces were a few points lower than the rest of the judges.
Still, the best pieces got the highest scores, just not as high, but I guess I was fair, which I have to be because I am journalist.
The theme this year was being patriotic through recycling, which appeared to mean to many kids — the military. There were some great reconstructions of tanks, helicopters and jets all from recycled materials. Considering the new study of Fort Carson’s CO2 “bootprint” opposed to a footprint and a commitment to reduce emmisions in the next year, the Army may want to take notice.
But strange how so many young people immediately equate patriotism with the military. I shared my observations with some of the other judges, and we wondered if it was a phenomenon unique to Barstow, with its many soldiers, many veterans and many jobs at Fort Irwin or the MCLB, or if across the country the word patriotism now means tanks, jets and helicopters.
Beyond all that thinking, the projects were a great display of one of the legs of the recycling triangle, reuse.
And if reusing household items is your thing, I recommend checking out the magazine ReadyMade. The magazine can show you how to make almost anything, from a cork doorstop to a couch from what you would normally throw away.
Aaron Aupperlee | city editor
