BALTIMORE, MD (December 8, 2004) – A colorful peacock and black boot of screws created by students from Baltimore County’s Carver Center for Arts and Technology were among the winning artwork at the third annual “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest, co-sponsored by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) recently [Nov. 19].
The sculpture contest challenges students to innovatively and artistically use recycled materials as a solution to waste reduction. A total of 35 entries from 14 different high schools across the state contained everything from electronic material, cardboard, plastic, scrap wood, chicken wire, broken compact discs and more.
MDE Secretary Kendl P. Philbrick, representatives of the America Recycles Day National Program and Baltimore Public Works Museum determined the winners.
“This event is one of my favorites,” Secretary Philbrick said. “We get to foster youth’s ingenuity and spirit while encouraging an environmental ethic. After participating in a contest such as this, artists and art lovers will never look at discarded items or trash the same again.”
Sculptures were judged on workmanship, creativity and use and variety of recycled materials.
The top sculptor was Michelle Paul, a student from Baltimore County's Carver Center for Arts and Technology. Her winning sculpture was a replica of the NBC peacock made from electronic materials, monitor, light fixture, light bulbs and wires. Paul received $500 for her winning sculpture. Winners of workmanship, creativity, and best use of materials all won Sharp Audio Systems.
Best Workmanship was awarded to Ashley Taylor, a student at St. Mary’s County's Leonardtown High School. Her winning sculpture was a porcupine made from scrap sheet metal, newspaper, wires, car antennas, bolts, springs, aluminum cans and a car mirror adjustor button.
Carianne Bente, also of the Carver Center for Arts and Technology, won the Best Creativity award for a sculpture of a boot made from screws.
In The Best Use of Materials category, Stacy Mathis of South Carroll High School won with her abstract sculpture made from 19 different discarded monochromatic blue objects.
Some of the sculptures are on public display at MDE’s headquarters in Baltimore. This year’s contest sponsors included Constellation Energy, the Maryland Soft Drink Association, Panasonic, Network Events Inc., the Maryland Recyclers Coalition, Sharp Electronics Corporation, Montgomery Park Business Park, and Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc., a waste consulting firm.
The "Rethink Recycling" sculpture contest, in celebration of America Recycles Day, is just one way MDE educates and empowers the public to reuse and recycle materials that would have otherwise gone into landfills.
To find out what you can do to reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled products, visit MDE’s recycling web page at: mde.maryland.gov/programs/LAND/RecyclingandOperationsprogram/Pages/recylingrates.aspx.
Remember when it comes to recycling, “It All Comes Back To You.”
Digital images from this event are available. Please contact mde’s office of communications at numbers above.
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