April 29, 2026
Growing 2026 Green
Art out of the trash Fresh art from old and discarded things By JILL WAGNER
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Record Mandala by Pat Williams created from a discarded and damaged record, paint and paint markers. PHOTO BY ALEXIS ELLERS
Contributing Reporter
ctively participating in Earth Day, artists in Forest Park gathered for a public exhibit of art made from repurposed items. Reimagining waste from our daily lives was the challenge set by Commissioner Michelle Melin- Rogovin after recently completing the Chicago Conservation Corps (C3) training. This event was used to spread the lessons and connect community to engage with community members on a small scale. C3 teaches leaders about sustainable agriculture, food access, waste reduction, and the aim to support green-living projects throughout Chicago and near suburbs. In addition, leaders have access to more resources and connections to scale up local change. Leaning on the strong arts and environmentally conscious networks in Forest Park, Melin-Rogovin partnered with the village’s environmental commission and the Forest Park Arts Alliance to spread the word in a call to artists. The call was answered and the show featured 10” x10” art that was made with a variety of materials including plastic caps, paper scraps, a record, plastic bags, objects tucked away in drawers, and items found on the sidewalk during a walk. “Something now exists where there was nothing,” said Melin- Rogovin. “Something that was considered to be of no value has been transformed by art into something of value.” See ART on page B4
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