When artists and designers take discarded materials destined for the landfill - everything from bottle caps to rusty machine parts - and add their imagination, vision and talent, what hatches from all that is something fresh. The results may be whimsical, or even practical, but are always decidedly, delightfully different and unexpected.

 

The I.D.E.A. Store will take that concept of reinvention and reimagination to a whole new level next spring with "Hatch," a creative-reuse art festival expected to draw participants from throughout Central Illinois and beyond.

 

The festival will take place March 1-3, 2013, in and near downtown Champaign, and will include a juried art exhibition and juried art fair.

 

We currently are seeking creative-reuse artists and designers who wish to be considered for entry into the art exhibition and/or art fair. Artist information and applications are available on the festival website, www.AboutHatch.org. The deadline for applying for entry is Jan. 11, 2013. 

 

The festival will kick off from 5-7 p.m. on March 1 with an opening reception at the exhibition venue, Indi Go Artist Co-op, 9 E. University Ave., in downtown Champaign. During the festival, the exhibitoin will be on view from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. March 2 and 1-5 p.m. March 3. The show will remain on view beyond the festival dates, through March 17.

 

Exhibited work - which must consist of at least 75 percent recycled or reused materials - is expected to range from assemblage, collage, jewelry, fiber and paper arts to reimagined decor for home and garden.

 

The festival's art fair, set for 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on March 2 in the McKinley Fitness Center gym, 500 W. Church St., Champaign, is expected to host more than 30 creative-reuse artist-vendors who will be selling one-of-a-kind artwork and functional design such as jewelry, wearable art and accessories, collage, mixed media and sculptural work.

 

We also are hoping to add other activities - possibly a lecture and gallery talk - to the festival schedule as well. So, stay tuned and see what develops in the coming months!

 

"Right now, we're hitting the ground running - focusing our priorities on attracting some of the most imaginative, top-shelf creative-reuse artists and designers around to the festival, and hope to fill in a few more auxiliary events as we go," said The I.D.E.A. Store Manager Gail Rost.

 

"We're excited to be able to expand on the work we've accomplished at The I.D.E.A. Store in our first two years of operation," Rost said. "Plus, we're thrilled to be continuing what we started our first year in business with the "Trash 2011" exhibition at Indi Go.

 

Don't forget ... we're putting out the bling again at another fabulous Jewelry Blowout Friday, Nov. 2 and Saturday, Nov. 3! The sale kicks off from 4-7 p.m. Nov. 2 and continues Nov. 3 from

10 a.m.-3 p.m. In addition to contemporary and vintage necklaces, earrings, pins, charms and otherother jewelry, you can shop for beads, findings, jewelry storage containers and books on jewelry-making.

 

Volunteer organizers Carol Jo Morgan and Claire Billing have been pulling some amazing pieces from our regular inventory and stashing them for this sale. Whatever your motivation for shopping - enhancing your wearable-accessories wardrobe or collecting fodder for art-making - we will be offering some great, one-of-a-kind pieces that you don't want to miss! Volunteers will be restocking the inventory throughout the weekend, so shop early AND often!

And when you're done shopping, don't forget to flash some of your new jewels Saturday night (Nov. 3) at the Extreme Spelling Bee - a fundraiser at the Champaign Country Club for the organization that The I.D.E.A. Store supports. Participating teams are already signed up and ready to get things buzzing, but spectators are still needed! Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and there's a cash bar. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Find more information about "The Bee"  here.   

 

From colored pencils to good old No. 2s, with erasers or without, pencils are always plentiful and - as the birdies say - cheep cheep cheep at The I.D.E.A. Store. 

 

Even if you don't want to write with them, there are any number of creative reuse projects you might want to try using pencils. Here's a list of possibilities for starters. We're betting you'll find one that's write for you. Oops ... make that right for you!

 

* Imaginative jewelry

 

* A more elaborate necklace

 

* From windchimes to dish drainers to ... pencil holders

 

* A super-kid-friendly pencil project

 

* Check out this chair sculpture.

 

* tiny sculptures on tips of pencils

 

* And in case you missed this, Jennifer Maestre's pencil sculptures were featured at Krannert Art Museum a few years back.

 

The I.D.E.A.Store's Education Specialist Shauna Carey will be making regular guest appearances on WCIA's "

ciLiving" program the second Friday of each month between 4 and 5 p.m. Shauna plans to bring along project samples to give viewers ideas for how to reuse discarded materials to make fun and functional objects. 

 

Shauna's next appearances will be Nov. 9 and Dec. 14.

 

 

The Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation saw a need in the community to accomplish several things: 1.  Support the arts and arts education, 2.  Support environmental education in our communities, 3. Impact the environment by reducing the rate of waste disposal, 4. create a place for everyone to have access to quality materials and 5. Support itself in light of the difficult economic times.  So donate your discards and shop re-use.  Its about making a difference!

 www.cuSchoolsFoundation.org