Friday, September 16, 2011

Bottle cap mural displayed at Rolla Recycling Center

Recycling has taken on a new dimension in the world of art at the Rolla Recycling Center where a mural composed of hundreds of recycled bottle caps is now prominently displayed in the lobby.
The mural project was created by students enrolled in Ms. Connie Shoemaker’s Art classes at Rolla High School. They painted the mural on a 6-foot by 4-foot piece of plywood and then painstakingly glued hundreds of bottle caps on to the mural.   
The idea and design for the mural was conceived by the Rolla Recycling Center staff in the City of Rolla’s Environmental Services Department. When contacted about the possibility of her art classes painting a mural for the Recycling Center, Ms. Shoemaker said she was very interested since she too was looking for an art project for her students that involved the use of recycled bottle caps.
Both Shoemaker and Marcia Mayo, Recycling Specialist in the Environmental Services Department who helped design and coordinate the mural project, thought the mural would be a great way to emphasize how recycled products (bottle caps) can be used to create a work of art. The theme of the mural is also environmentally friendly in that the mural depicts green energy technology such as solar powered houses and wind mills. Also included in the multi-colored mural are recycling tubs, a recycling truck, and a beautiful rainbow.  
Bottle caps of all colors, shapes and sizes were collected for several months by members of the RHS Recycling Club, employees of the Rolla Recycling Center, and Rolla City employees.
“This project demonstrates that the sky is the limit with what you might consider making and creating with “trash” or non-recycled materials,” said Mayo. “The Environmental Services Department is very appreciative of all the hard work and creativity provided by the Rolla High School art students and Ms. Shoemaker throughout the completion of the mural.”
Mayo said plans for more recycled bottle cap projects are in the works at the Recycling Center as well.

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