It's Just Life

  • Home
  • About
  • Comments for a Cause
  • Tea and Teapots
  • Books
  • Travel
  • Writing
  • Recipes
  • Products
April 17, 2014

From Prom Dress to Headboard–Repurposing Art in Clear Lake

30 Comments/ 4180/ 0

P1010733It is all the rage these days it seems.  Repurposing old items into something new.  It is what my parents and certainly grandparents called normal.   It was not uncommon for them to recycle items and re-purpose them for another use.  Sometimes it was because of a brilliant idea but more often than not it was as a result of having to make do with something or doing without.

I was intrigued when I saw in the local paper, the Globe Gazette, an article featuring an exhibit on display at the Clear Lake Arts Center during April that concentrated on a selection of re-purposed art items. This display is a joint effort with the Clear Lake Earth Days Committee and is a fabulous little exhibit to browse.  The hubby and I took the quick ride to Clear Lake with this exhibit in mind.

I was encouraged to take pictures of the items for my blog post and I did just that but of course, as usual. I did not take nearly enough to really show the expanse of the display and the variety of the art that I saw.  If you are within driving distance I would highly recommend that you go see the pieces that I did not capture with my camera.  The Clear Lake Arts Center is located on South 4th Street and is open 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday-Saturday.

The prominent piece that catches the eye of every arts center visitor has to be the beautiful thrift shop prom dress that local Kate Christensen crafted into a stunning headboard.  Don’t you agree that this is amazing???

P1010734

P1010735

Other favorites included the wonderful belted chairs created for functionality by Pat Benner.  With the buckles hidden safely on the underside of the seats these would be delightful chairs to sit and while away the  hours in—perhaps with a cup of tea in hand.

P1010740

P1010738

P1010737

I am always intrigued by book art and there were several examples of that in this exhibit also including both clocks and purses which certainly caught my eye. Regina Smith of Fort Dodge was the creator of the purses which already are a popular seller.  Yes, some of the items are for sale so that is a bonus for visitors.

P1010751

P1010753

P1010747There was a lot stuffed into the display area and I know I missed a lot of great items that were there but this at least gives you an idea of the creativity and sense of whimsy that could be found at the show.  Below are a few more selections that caught my eye.

P1010754

 

An orphaned drawer turned into a doll bed or a nightstand!!!  “Owldorable”, don’t you think?

P1010749

A trumpet case used for display purposes makes it useful once the music is gone.

P1010748Do you have a bunch of ties that need a home?  How about this fabulous piece that will keep your interest tied up for hours?

P1010742

Couch springs gone all wonky on you?  Turn them into an outdoor sculpture with a perfect spot to feature some fishing lures.  Clever!

P1010736

As I stated I did not take nearly the number of pictures that I should have and the ones I took of some beautiful pieces from a local business did not turn out.  But this is where social media comes in handy!  I met Colleen Thompson across a room at a recent Social Media Breakfast meeting and remembered that she and her husband John own Powder Craft  in Clear Lake.  They had several items on display at this event that I did not photograph well and she graciously sent me a couple of pictures of the table that they have on display there that they use in their break room.  It is made from the old floor at the former skating rink in Clear Lake.  How cool is that? They are proud of the heritage of their area and want to do all they can to preserve it. Thanks ,Colleen, for sharing these with me.

table

table 2

There is much more to view and I have not even begun to show you the wonderful Clear Lake Arts Center itself with rooms and rooms of lovely art pieces to view. That is a post for another day but because this exhibit will end at the end of April I wanted to make sure I got this post posted in a timely manner.

This was our first visit but definitely not our last.  Do you have any favorite art centers that you visit or do you have a great idea for repurposing something into a creative and maybe useful item?  I would love to hear your ideas so please feel free to comment.  Don’t forget that our Comments for a Cause this month is My Happy Place in Mason City.  For each comment made during April my husband and I will donate 50 cents to My Happy Place to help provide beautiful bedroom and other transformation for kids in crisis.  You can read more about it by clicking here.

 

 

Enhanced by Zemanta
43.152457-93.237147
Share:
Tags:
Arts Clear Lake Arts Center Clear Lake Iowa Furniture Globe Gazette Home and Garden Iowa Powder Craft John and Colleen Thompson Kate Christensen Pat Benner Prom recycling Regina Smith repurposed art
← Previous Wordless Wednesday
Next → Stages

Related Articles

  • Shore Am Happy

  • A Perfectly Curated Library

  • Stuck and Irritated

  • On the Street NYC Style

  • “Talk Less. Smile More.”

30 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. georgettesullins
    April 17, 2014 at 06:12 am

    I really had to take a double take on this. Our Johnson Space Flight Center is located along our Clear Lake just southeast of Houston.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      April 17, 2014 at 09:10 am

      I know –I am realizing I need to put Iowa in there. 🙂 There seem to be several Clear Lakes.

      Reply
  2. Dianna
    April 17, 2014 at 06:13 am

    You are so right that recylcing was a way of life for our parents (long before it was even a word!). It’s amazing how creative some folks can be. (When I first saw “Clear Lake”, I wondered if you lived in Texas: my niece is in that area. But then, I checked the address for the Arts Center…oops, wrong state!)

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      April 17, 2014 at 09:10 am

      Guess I should have put Iowa in there, right??? 🙂 It was a really great exhibit and we had such a great time that day seeing all they had to offer.

      Reply
  3. Marla aka Crazy Mom
    April 17, 2014 at 07:01 am

    Wow!! How interesting.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      April 17, 2014 at 09:05 am

      🙂

      Reply
  4. My Odd Family
    April 17, 2014 at 07:16 am

    Love the chair. The headboard is a little over the top for my taste but undeniable a creative use of a prom dress. I love the trumpet case – I want to take an old suitcase and make a shelf out it (dam Pinterest) something the size of a trumpet case would be perfect. What a fun place to visit and you show it off beautifully.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      April 17, 2014 at 09:05 am

      I have an old suitcase that I have plans for also like you. I just have not done it yet. Maybe I need to borrow Cole!!!!

      Reply
  5. Jennifer Flaa (@JeniEats)
    April 17, 2014 at 07:26 am

    I haven’t visited the Clear Lake Arts Center. That exhibit is really cool. I really want that book purse. So many places to explore this summer.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      April 17, 2014 at 09:04 am

      They have a really wonderful place there and this was just one teeny tiny area. There is a lot to see and of course things get changed out all the time so there is always something new to look at. 🙂

      Reply
  6. treadlemusic
    April 17, 2014 at 07:34 am

    Wow!! That display is fascinating!! “Man’s” creative bent really knows no bounds! And the bed is wonderful!!!! Thanks for a great post once again!!!!!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      April 17, 2014 at 09:04 am

      The bed was really amazing. I never would have come up with that idea at all!

      Reply
      1. treadlemusic
        April 17, 2014 at 10:22 am

        Me either!!!!!!

        Reply
  7. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    April 17, 2014 at 08:06 am

    I really really like this exhibit idea. What creative minds at work here.

    Two of my favorite art centers are the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault and the Owatonna Arts Center. Those would be in Minnesota, of course.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      April 17, 2014 at 09:12 am

      It is a really great exhibit. Of course after we visited I wished I had taken more pictures but you know what? That is normal for me! That missed shot is the one that makes me crazy!

      Reply
      1. Minnesota Prairie Roots
        April 17, 2014 at 11:35 am

        I totally understand. I tend to overshoot. And even then sometimes I don’t get what I expect.

        Reply
  8. kap2406
    April 17, 2014 at 09:52 am

    I love this. Makes me want to get back into crafting and repurposing. There is a tree stump from Hurricane Sandy waiting for me to turn it into a table. If only I had more time…. and space in my apartment for making things.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      April 17, 2014 at 10:05 am

      Oh that would be an amazing thing to repurpose!!! I think you need to make time to do it!!!! Easy for me to say, right?

      Reply
  9. Miranda Gargasz
    April 17, 2014 at 04:26 pm

    I love anything that’s been repurposed. It’s awesome. Thanks so much for sharing this. I think my fave is the chair with belts. That’s a neat idea!

    Reply
  10. Miranda Gargasz
    April 17, 2014 at 04:26 pm

    Sorry, I also love the repurposed drawer! Too cute!

    Reply
  11. behindthemask
    April 17, 2014 at 04:39 pm

    That is just awesomeness! It looks like a place I could get totally lost in for hours! I love it!

    Reply
  12. Darlene
    April 17, 2014 at 10:52 pm

    What fun. I love the creative ideas people have. My family has always been big on re-purposing items (not that we are actually normal!)

    Reply
  13. Rorybore
    April 17, 2014 at 11:04 pm

    So many creative things here – so many great ideas. I love seeing stuff like this. I actually have a lone drawer and I’ve been wondering what to do with it.

    Reply
  14. McGuffy Ann
    April 18, 2014 at 01:24 am

    This is really interesting. I agree, this used to be the normal way of life.

    Reply
  15. Pix Under the Oaks
    April 18, 2014 at 06:17 am

    Love the chair and book clocks! Very interesting ideas. The table is cool too!

    Reply
  16. Jackie Cangro
    April 18, 2014 at 02:53 pm

    Great finds! I especially love the book cover turned purse. 🙂
    It’s wonderful to think about how we could reuse things instead of adding them to landfills. I recently saw for sale an old vinyl 78 record turned into a serving bowl!

    Reply
  17. Helen Brown
    April 18, 2014 at 10:11 pm

    I liked the owl doll bed and the care. Both were very creative.

    Reply
  18. benzeknees
    April 22, 2014 at 04:51 pm

    Loved the repurposed headboard – what a beautiful piece! Very eye-catching!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      April 23, 2014 at 07:24 am

      It was gorgeous in real life! It was such an amazing exhibit to view. So creative.

      Reply
  19. Clear Lake, IA
    May 21, 2016 at 10:35 pm

    […] From Prom Dress to Headboard–Repurposing Art in Clear Lake – It’s Just Life […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

  • Subscribe To Rss Feed
  • 2,256 Followers
  • 2,272 Fans
  • Followers
  • Subscribers
  • Subscribers
  • Follow It's Just Life

Comments For A Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Finding Balance

  • Comments for a Cause Keeps on Booking

  • Comments for a Cause – Reaching Out through El Centro

  • Comments for a Cause – It’s All About Women

  • Comments for a Cause – Weirdo Style

  • Ringing in 2023 with Comments for a Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Conservation at Work

  • Comments for a Cause – A Hand Up. Not a Hand Out

  • Comments for a Cause- Operation KeepSafe® 

  • Comments for a Cause – September 2022

  • Comments for a Cause – More Literacy, Please!

  • Comments for a Cause – July 2022 Edition

  • Comments for a Cause- Giving to Uvalde

  • It’s May – Time for Comments for a Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Reece’s Rainbow

Check Out My Past Posts

June 2023
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  
« May    

Text

Follow

Pinterest

Visit Beth Ann's profile on Pinterest.

Beth's bookshelf: read

The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
5 of 5 stars
The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
by Guy Kawasaki
As always Guy Kawasaki has a great book with great information about all things social media. I highlighted tons of places in this book and it is definitely one that I will come back to time and time again to help me in all of the socia...
Old Girls in Low Cotton
3 of 5 stars
Old Girls in Low Cotton
by Helen Childress
This short book was one that looked like it would be a fun read. I honestly did not enjoy it all that much---it was a lot of characters bickering and while some of the writing was witty and funny it was not that kind of book that made m...
The Good Girl
5 of 5 stars
The Good Girl
by Mary Kubica
I loved this book! It had my interest from the very first page and was my "airplane" book on a recent trip. Author Mary Kubica created believable and interesting characters that the reader learned to identify with and care about. Mi...
All the Light We Cannot See
4 of 5 stars
All the Light We Cannot See
by Anthony Doerr
This is quite a book! I had it recommended to me by several people and while I thought it might be a little dark and depressing it made me have a better understanding of what life in this time period was like. The strength of the huma...
An Abundance of Katherines
5 of 5 stars
An Abundance of Katherines
by John Green
Another great book by John Green. I have become a huge fan of John Green since my reading of A Fault in our Stars and this book was another that did not disappoint me at all. It was a story of a child prodigy, a lot of anagrams, and a b...

goodreads.com

Professional Reader
Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Copyright © 2015 It's Just Life, All Rights Reserved.

  • Media Kit, Advertising and Disclosure
 

Loading Comments...