Green Art in Cleveland, Ohio

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Ranked #178 in Green, #20,531 overall

Recycled Art Design and Functionality

Cleveland, Ohio is one of the best places to find incredible recycled art. The green movement is very active in Cleveland in several areas, and the art community in Cleveland has welcomed recycled art, and green art wholeheartedly.  Take a journey with me through this article for a brief introduction to this fascinating piece of Cleveland art and culture.

For more information on how you can join the eco-chic green lifestyle, follow this link.


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Xanadu Designs by Alexandra Underhill 

Alexandra Underhill is a whiz with a needle. She is also a fanatic about recycling. She has combined those two talents toward making wonderful clothing out of recycled men's ties. She has created skirts, vests, bibs, accessories and wallets.

The Art of Xan 

Make New Clothing Designs Out of Existing Materials 

This is a really cool book with designs by Alexandra and her coauthor Shannon Okey. Both are Cleveland natives.

AlterNation: Transform. Embellish. Customize.

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Art From Trash 

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From The Blue Bag 

It's Earth Day year round at the From the Blue Bag office and studio, ever since Deby Cowdin, decided to start a business that focused on using her art to creatively convey the importance of recycling to everyone.

The company began with one product, a flattened wine bottle cheese tray that was an improvement on an existing concept that Deby had seen at a friend's house. But the line expanded and business really took off when the food functional serving trays and dishes were developed with a little help from the ingenuity of husband Scott. All of the items in From The Blue Bag's current product line are food functional, meaning they are freezer, oven and dishwasher safe.

From the Blue Bag obtains their materials by engaging local bars and restaurants to join in its bottle recycling program. The company provides a collection receptacle and comes to empty it once a week. They also encourage these companies to recycle their stryofoam peanuts and bubble wrap, both of which do not biodegrade in a landfill.

The gift industry is constantly looking for new and innovative gifts. The green movement is spreading so rapidly some couples have even planned their weddings with completely environmentally aware products and services. From the Blue Bag filled this gift niche by investing in equipment that can laser etch an invitation right onto a bottle. They can also personalize any of their other products.

Who knew trash would be in Deby's future? She sure didn't. From the Blue Bag sells in 35 stores across the US and has shipped products all over the world.

Brooke Cowdin

Freelance Writer

 

 

Deby Cowdin recycles glass bottles to create magical artwork
Deby Cowdin shows the world the importance of recycling with her artistic and exquisite creations. The artist, who has been working with glass for nearly 15 years now, gave birth to From the Blue Bag, a company that recycles glass to ...
deby cowdin: making a difference
artist and intrepid entrepreneur, deby cowdin, co-founder and president of from the blue bag, found her voice, energy, and self confidence through her entrepreneurial experience. by recycling bottles into functional works of art, ...
ix christmas connection madness and more. . . . :)
we sold lots of fleece scarves made by our own luise easton, recycled bottle dishware made by deby cowdin (from the blue bag), book jewelry by kimberly monaco, and really cool art kits for kids made by cleveland's own creativity for ...
nan's neighborhood news, may 14
jerry schmidt of waterloo 7 gallery, and deby cowdin of fromthebluebag, are putting together an exhibit of eco-artists. work must incorporate recycled or natural items. the show will open during a private party at waterloo 7 on june 26 ...

Books on Making Your Own Recycled Art 

Recycled Crafts Box

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Recycled Re-Seen: Folk Art from the Global Scrap Heap

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Gorgeous Gifts: Use recycled materials to make cool crafts (Ecocrafts)

Release Date: 05/21/2007

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Recycled Papers: The Essential Guide

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Dream Bedroom: Use recycled materials to make cool crafts (Ecocrafts)

Release Date: 05/16/2007

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Pics of Recycled Art 

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Papermaking Workshop by vlasta2

Papermaking Workshop

Everything is Beautiful @ Project One-SF by >>>WonderMike<<<

Everything is Beauti...

ATC - "our lady of the rootvegetables" - 054 - available for trade by Sarabbit

ATC - "our lady...

ATC - "scaled down" - 055 - available for trade by Sarabbit

ATC - "scaled d...

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Create Your Own Art 

Astonishing Art with Recycled Rubbish: Splatter!Splodge!Splash!

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Here is a great book on recycling what you think is trash into some really great art projects.

Release Date: 12/31/1969

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The VESSEL Project by T. L Champion 

Introducing VESSELS. . .edgy, functional art that utilizes the unique combination of recycled glass (alcohol/liquor bottles from local restaurants and bars) and recycled jewelry. Use your VESSEL as a decorative piece for your end table, dresser, bar or bath as a:

Room Diffuser
Bud Vase
Prayer Bottle
Wish maker . . . make a wish, put it in the bottle and cover it (real tight!) until the wish comes true. Use again and again, for special wishes!
T.L. Champion is the artistic director of the VESSELS project. She's a native Clevelander and active member of COSE and the American Advertising Federation, Cleveland.

Keeping It Green in Cleveland, OH 

Green City Blue Lake
This site is all about the eco-friendly work being done in the city of Cleveland.
Eco City Cleveland
Another eco-friendly organization in Cleveland.
Bryght
More information on the effort to keep it green in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.
Cleveland Design City
And more

Wearable Art 

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A Piece of Cleveland 

We love Cleveland. We love its history, its character and its potential. We created A Piece Of Cleveland to preserve this rich history by telling a story and turning unwanted materials into something better than they were before.

The products that we offer are made from materials carefully extracted from office buildings, residential homes, churches, schools and other historical structures in the city. Countless people, maybe some who were our ancestors, have walked on, sat in, and used the materials that we are rescuing to create our products. By using durable and beautiful wood, glass and metals found in these buildings, we allow legacies to live on.

We believe in:
- Preserving Cleveland history

We salvage materials from remodeled or demolished homes and give them a better purpose. For us, piles of century-old maple flooring that would normally wind up in a landfill are a gold mine. Just as a first-time meeting with someone does not reveal their full character, simply stripping away the surface of a solid piece of old lumber can reveal rich, vibrant wood with detailed and beautiful grain. It is from these pieces that we create our uniquely-designed products.
The older the wood, the better. Wood and other materials have great stories behind them, but many new buildings are constructed with less natural products than they were years ago. Over time, synthetics have become more common and cost-efficient for construction. By using quality 100 percent wood, we can offer products that are durable and timeless.
Our favorite part is telling a story. Although we cannot make the walls talk, we strongly believe in educating our customers on where their products came from and how they came to be. To connect our customers with Cleveland's intriguing history, we provide a re-birth certificate with each of our products that details what kind of building the materials used were taken from and where that building was located.
- Doing our part to help the environment

We use stains, finishes and paints on our products that are non-toxic and contain natural ingredients. We try to be the most environmentally-friendly we can be, without sacrificing quality. We always start fresh by stripping our wood to a new surface. From there, we do our best to bring out the characteristics of the wood with products that are not harmful to the environment.
We save quality materials from the landfill and give these pieces new life by using them to create unique furnishings and accessories.
- Designing unique furniture

The library of materials including wood, glass and metal that we have on hand is taken from buildings with distinctive characteristics. We have created desks using original drawers from Adelstein's Pharmacy, a building constructed for doctors and dentists in 1928 in the central neighborhood of Cleveland. We have created wood tabletops with beautiful wood grain out of solid maple floorboards of St. Josephat Church, a Roman Catholic Church on E. 33rd Street that was built in 1915.
Designing APOC products is like putting together a puzzle. We creatively consider every board and place it with precision.

 

More Recycled Art Resources 

The Cast-Off Recast: Recycling and the Creative Transformation of Mass-Produced Objects

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Crafty Containers: From Recycled Materials (Leisure arts)

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Junk Treasures: A Sourcebook for Using Recycled Materials With Children

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Creative Vests Using Found Treasures

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AlterNation: Transform. Embellish. Customize.

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The Art of Recycling 

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Green City Blue Lake 

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Recycled Crafts 

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Crushed Can Art 

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Sandra Kugenieks 

Recycled Vintage Silverware

I also create jewelry, ornaments and functional items like hand and wall mirrors from vintage silverware. I started with making angels and have added dragonflies, butterflies, bees, birds, and trees in keeping with the natural theme. The hand mirrors are backed with nature inspired fabric and recycled beads adorn the outer edges. Wall mirrors incorporate silverware pieces and stained glass to make unique home decor.

Kimberly Monaco Designs 

Found Object and Recycled Jewelry

How Do You Recycle? 

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  • Reply
    aj2008 aj2008 Nov 13, 2009 @ 3:45 am
    Well our local authority has just collected one large whelie bin but three smaller boxes of our recycling and hubby will be off to the local waste collection center soon with all the other stuff we recycle and currently I am making Christmas gift tags out of last year's Christmas cards. Then I have a drawer full of gift bags that we re-use.

    But this lens has certainly givenm me some more creative recycling ideas. I Love the recycled metal birds!

    Another great lens, that is just that bit different - SquidAngel Blessings for you!
  • Reply
    BuffaloKid BuffaloKid Apr 2, 2009 @ 7:42 pm
    Great lens! Every year, I participate in the Recycled Art Exhibition here in Flagstaff and make other pieces of art with recycled materials throughout the year. I'll be back to feature your lens once I get my recycled art piece lens put together. Some great ideas here.
  • Reply
    poddys poddys Mar 12, 2009 @ 3:19 pm
    Great lens with great ideas. One man's trash is well, another man's (or woman's) treasure. 5*****, great original ideas.
  • Reply
    ottoblotto ottoblotto Mar 9, 2009 @ 8:19 am
    Fun lens; being a recycled art artist myself, I really enjoy seeing others' work.
  • Reply
    TheGreenerMe TheGreenerMe Jan 5, 2009 @ 4:07 pm
    Very unique items, these are great! Welcome to the Million Ways to Go Green!
  • Reply
    JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Dec 6, 2008 @ 9:39 am
    Gosh -- I had simply NO idea that Cleveland was the best place to find recycled art -- well, I should have guessed it as my father and brother are rather packrats -- keeping everything. When my father passed on, my sisters carefully went through his Cleveland house and esp. the basement, checking in every nook and cranny. Lots of items to recycle -- I didn't get much, except for a couple of anniversary pins.
  • Reply
    a_willow a_willow Nov 3, 2008 @ 1:24 am
    Beautiful things can be done with reused stuff! :)
    Welcome to Reuse it all! group!
  • Reply
    RinchenChodron RinchenChodron Oct 11, 2008 @ 6:46 pm
    You artists are just sooo cleaver! Great lens. ***** Congrats on becoming a Giant Squid!
  • Reply
    a_willow a_willow Aug 5, 2008 @ 2:29 pm
    Great job! And interesting topic too! 5* and favored!
  • Reply
    bdkz bdkz Jul 29, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
    Welcome to Squidoo! This lens is awesome! I gave you 5 Stars and a Squid Angle Blessing!

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