Trash today.
Art tomorrow.
Our Recycled Art program turns reclaimed materials into finished works, and trains the next generation of makers while it does.
A workshop that begins at the curb.
Every piece in the Recycled Art program starts with materials that would otherwise be thrown away, cardboard, scrap wood, fabric ends, broken china, magazine clippings, plastic from local recycling routes.
We partner with Randolph County waste management to receive clean reclaimed materials, sort them in the studio, and turn them over to students aged 6 through 16 across the summer and after-school sessions.
From discard to display.
Collect
Reclaimed materials are gathered weekly from local routes and partner organizations.
Sort
Volunteers clean and organize materials by type — paper, fabric, plastic, wood, metal.
Make
Students plan, sketch, and build new works during after-school and summer sessions.
Show
Finished pieces are exhibited at the Depot and at the county fair each fall.
Art takes root in the garden.
Regional artist Cindy Perez has been commissioned to create a series of small-scale recycled art sculptures that will become part of our new native pollinator gardens this summer.
These imaginative works are designed not only to add beauty and whimsy to the landscape, but also to serve as tiny habitats and resting places for the birds, frogs, butterflies, bees, and other pollinator friends that visit the gardens.
Each sculpture is uniquely handcrafted from recycled materials, blending creativity, sustainability, and environmental stewardship into one colorful community project.
A vibrant and playful sculpture full of personality and charm, making its way to the Depot gardens this summer.
Cindy Dorrel Perez.
Indygirl Art LLC
A lifetime of theatrical design has led me on a personal artistic journey into the world of found object and mixed media art.
Born and raised in Connersville, Indiana, I received a BA from Texas Wesleyan College, worked at the Dallas Theater Center, then earned an MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. I worked in professional New York theater until my husband Angel Perez and I moved to my hometown to raise a family.
Inspired by artists like Joseph Cornell and Betye Saar, I began working with curiosity boxes, found object art, mixed media sculpture, upcycled jewelry, dioramas, and other extensions of my set design and storytelling background. With encouragement from local artists, I have found a voice.
A studio runs on what you no longer need.
We accept clean, dry materials on Tuesdays and Fridays during gallery hours. If you have something larger to drop off, call ahead.
- Cardboard boxes
- Magazines
- Wood offcuts
- Buttons & beads
- Scrap fabric & yarn
- Glass jars
- Clean plastic
- Paint (unopened)