Shannon Kelley

Cynthia Birch, Tom Towle, Linda Shower, and Marie Tripi

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It’s a rare and special gift, being able to make something from nothing. Whether it be a delectable casserole created from leftovers and corn flakes, or a weekend-worthy ensemble culled from consignment-shop castoffs, the fabulousness of such handiwork is due as much to the creativity involved in giving new life to something that might otherwise go to waste as to the result itself. Countless clichés have been devoted to the notion that one person’s trash is another’s treasure, but now more than ever, it’s an idea whose time has come.

And Art From Scrap (AFS) is as groovy as green gets. With initiatives that provide low-cost, recycled art materials and activities to schools, organizations, and the S.B. community at large, and the Green Schools environmental education program, AFS gives new meaning to the reduce, reuse, recycle refrain.

And they’re not afraid of having a good time while they’re at it, as proven early Saturday evening, at AFS’s 7th Annual Assemblage, Collage, Mixed-Media Art Show and Auction. Upon my arrival, I was greeted with a big smile from Suzanne Feldman, an auction number, and the news that, for whatever donation I’d like to make, the inimitable Jack Johnson would not match, not double, not even triple, but quadruple it. Oh, to be the woman gathering what that man spills …

Daydreaming aside, though, the day had turned spectacular, and the peeps were soaking up those late-arriving rays in the parking lot—freshly vacuumed by artistic director Holly Mackay—while enjoying tunes from Fiddlin’ Dave & the Arroyo Boyz, brews from Telegraph, and playing dress-up for photographer Bob DeBris. But upstairs was where the real action was: The gallery was loaded with the goods up for auction, which included a magnum of Margerum’s finest, a gross of goodies from Crushcakes, and stunning artwork made by 53 local artists, all created using fabric from the AFS Reuse Store. And it was cooking—literally, that room was H-O-T.

And speaking of cooking, though I stuck it out for as long as I could, soon enough, I ventured home: leftovers were waiting, and I was feeling inspired.

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