By Lisa Meredith and Lynn Barber
Twice each year, UF/IFAS Extension, Hillsborough County sponsors a Recycled Yard Art Contest, one at the Hillsborough County Fair and one at the Florida State Fair. The purpose of the Recycled Yard Art Contest is to increase environmental awareness and encourage reuse/recycling of materials into yard art.
The competition involved two and three-dimensional artwork creations made from items already used for their original purposes. During the eight days of the 2019 Hillsborough County Fair, attendees voted for the People’s Choice Award on one of several entries submitted.
All 2,372 votes have been tallied, and the People’s Choice Award winner is Jim Dreby for his ‘Minion Riding a Scooter’, which was created with a muffler pipe, Freon jugs and a broken scooter.
Andy Hamilton won the Judge’s Choice Award for adult submissions. His creation, ‘Bedpan Bird’, included a bedpan, ricer, marbles, rebar and horseshoes.
Unfortunately, there was no middle school entry this year, but the State Fair is coming soon.
The Judge’s Choice Award for elementary school submissions winner was Maximus Clary. His entry, ‘Wind Chime Planter’, reused a colander, necklace, rope, broken wind chime, welcome sign and a planter.
Alexa Weston’s ‘Blue Heron’ sculpture won the Judge’s Choice Award for high school submissions. She created her environmental artwork statement using plastic bags, boxes, bottle caps, containers, chicken wire and sticks.
All of the contest-winning entries will be on display at the UF/IFAS Extension Service, located at 5339 CR 579 in Seffner, until Sunday, December 8. You are welcome to stop by to view these creations, stroll through the Bette S. Walker Discovery Garden and see what else is offered.
You are challenged to put on your creativity hats now and consider submitting an entry for the Florida State Fair Recycled Yard Art Contest. Contact Lisa Meredith for more information about this upcoming contest at meredithL@hcflgov.net or 744-5519 ext. 54146.
