A glance at E2Re.

Written By Ascend Art 360

3D Paper Tree Samples at ‘Spurlock Sundays’ as part of E2Re up-cycling activities.

This post on E2Re Project, was due long months ago but with events happening back to back, we were engaged in directing the events! As we are nearing its completion now, it feels overwhelming to cover this project in all its entirety. May be smaller segments will give us a chance to look at this Eco-Culture-Arts project from different angles too.

This post basically compiles all events at a glance.

Aim

The E2Re Eco-Culture-Arts Collaborative Project- Fall 2022 technically began since Earthday 2022 as E2E2Re (Earthday to Environmental Day to (America) Recycles day) and culminated into E2Re Collaborative Project.

Creating Faces with fond objects’ activity hosted at Anita Purves Nature Center as part of Urbana Park District’s America recycles day event

The aim of this project was to bring together groups from Community,  Campus and youth groups on a creative Eco-Culture-Arts platform.

This project is a collaborative undertaking of  Spurlock Museum , The Museum of grand Prairie , Urbana Park district, IDEA store, PACA, Ascend Art360 with educator Shannon Percoco and Kuldeepa VM

The other community groups willing to be part of it, made the scope of this project even more wider.

it is hard to process the various areas that this project touched, let alone document every single member who helped make it happen but we are thankful to all the Collaborators and participating groups for their share of involvement, not just in this project but in their own  workplace routines that correlate with the purpose of this project, that is- bringing more Eco awarness, Cultural understanding in our community.

Events by Collaborators

Each Collaborating organization hosted events that were either part of Arts and Humanities Month or America Recycles Day.

Arts and Humanities Month

Spurlock Museum’s ‘Contemporary look at the Classics’, hosted multiple groups like (excerpts are linked respectively) -

Fresh Press Paper showcased samples of locally made papers.

More info on ‘Arts with Museums’ here

Ascend Art360  hosted the Contemporary Look at Classics- Virtual meet with Designers, Educators and community youths- (excerpts of talks are linked respectively)

Luciana Rezende from UFA- www.urbanafineartscenter.com/

https://youtu.be/MDW9pVu4pEo

Joe Rauen- www.joerauen.com https://youtu.be/zTIeheH3lZ8

Seth Feldman - https://youtu.be/YaFzO0aDff8

The Hindi Language group, - https://youtu.be/h89_4HX-qiA

Vyom Mehta,- https://youtu.be/FbHqwf_VBz8

Ascend Art360 hosted Flower arrangement and sketching with flower before cleaning the yards for winter. We talked about native plants, pollinator gardens, and had some fun watching the critters come out of flowers onto the table (trying to put them back out). It was a good example of using what would be discarded. The flowerpots were upcycled bottles. Flowers stayed for a week more and the drawing for ever :)

Displays at the IDEA store

More on Arts and Humanities Month here

‘America Recycles Day’ month

The PACA warehouse and IDEA store are showcasing community upcycled artworks that were part of E2Re Eco-Culture-Arts Collaborative events. Displays are on through 15 December.

‘Repair it and Rewear it’ Fabric repair event at Museum of Grand Prairie.

Urbana Park District’s ARD 2022 event at Anita Purves Nature center and Museum of the Grand Prairie, Mahomet, hosted their own activities that were in sync with the E2Re project.

Displays at the PACA Warehouse.

All these events promoted Repurpose/ Reuse/ Recycle in the spirit of America Recycles Day 2022. More details on ‘America Recycles Day’ month, here.

While executing action plan the E2Re project reached various other groups.

Art teacher, Mr Grant Thomas at Barkstall school hosted Map art by PACA and upcycling arts inspired by Spurlock’s specimens.

Ms Shannon Percoco hosted recycling collage art with her art class at Centennial High School.

Kuldeepa VM from Ascend Art360 hosted upcycling arts at Champaign library’s teens lab with help from Ms Kathie Kading and in Barkstall school classrooms with help from their respective teachers, Mr Burrus and Ms Blackburn.

Inference:

Over all, this project was a good success looking at the obvious Aim of  getting different groups together on the Arts platform, and It has truly been a join venture with everyone involved.

But it might be challenging to say the purpose was served. The outcome of the project has not hit anywhere close. It dint change much in terms of bringing awareness.. Partly, our weakness with social media might be the cause of this failure.

Although, no effort put in what one thinks is right, is gone wasted, we like to be optimistic in our work :) and see this as a learning opportunity if something similar needs to be pursued in near future. May be the efforts show up in future years? May be the ideas hit some grounds and sprout when its the right time? or may be the project just ends here in time. May be a post on E2Re Reflections is in formation!

We sincerely Thank all those who were involved in planning, supporting, executing the E2Re project.

Thanks to Beth Watkins, Kim Sanford,  Katie Snyder, Shannon Percoco, Savannah Donovan, David Subers, Kuldeepa VM for their help in planning and kick starting this project and to Thomas Warde, Christa, for their help Showcasing community displays at their respective venues.

Thanks to Mrs Linda Thiele, Dr. Sang Lee, Dr Sowmya Anand, Mr Grant Thomas, Mr Micheal Burrus, Ms Madison Blackburn, Ms Kathie Kading for organizing the  creative upcycling events in their respective groups.

We are grateful to artist, educators- Luciana Rezende, Joe Rauen, Eric Benson for their valued presence and contributions to this project.

Thanks to volunteers- Julie Nieset, Nazanine Agassi, Ms Shirley She, Kuldeepa VM for their help setting up, photography, video recording and managing the events.

Thanks to Ms Chong-Hwey, Dr Sayee Annak and Ms Julie Schubach for their Moral Support and encouragement in pursuing this project.

We are grateful to the many Parents, Community members and volunteers that are not seen but played an important role in making this Project happen.

Though the project is coming to an end, hope it can be the beginning of something better! Stay tuned for related E2Re posts in coming weeks.

Ascend Art 360
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