Art So Green - A Recipe for Preserving the World

Are you pondering what to do with objects that you no longer need? Why not turn them into art? At the Remix Art Fair in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago, artists exhibited their works all of which were made from recycled materials. We attended the fair this past weekend and were impressed by the ingenuity shown in creating beauty from what would have previously been considered garbage.

On my first stop, I bought a notepad from Sara Hindmarch that was light enough to put in my purse without weighing me down. A useful and decorative concept. Sara said that she makes her notepads and other things  from recycled paper. The recycled paper had been used to make calendars and beer cartons. She used them for covers and then made pages from other recycled paper. Armed with this little notepad, I was able to jot down ideas from the rest of the fair. If you would like to buy one from her, her website is www.re-paper.net.

                                                                   


Other art we saw was earrings and mobiles created from crystal pieces from old chandeliers. They were really exquisite. Another artist had a booth displaying what she called Slag Archaeology – earrings and things made from objects washed up on Lake Michigan’s shores. We saw earrings made from old gears and some beautiful glass objects made from recycled glass. Another artist displayed purses made from castoff burlap bags that had previously held basmati rice and other products. It was amazing how decorative all these items were.

Some dismiss the existence of  climate change and other threats to our    environment. Others may still say that the world is flat. I don’t know. Nevertheless, for those of us concerned about our environment, this art fair showed an effort to make a difference on a local level. It should be applauded.

I wanted to keep to the spirit of the art fair by cooking something green. Why not spaghetti with zucchini and mushrooms in pesto sauce. You can put in whatever amounts you want based on how many are eating. Preparation time was 15 to 20 minutes.

   Spaghetti with Zucchini and Mushrooms in Pesto Sauce

 Spaghetti, boiled

                     Zucchini cut in thin slices
                     Mushrooms sliced
                     Sun dried tomatoes
                     Green olives
                     Minced garlic
                     Olive oil
                     Oregano
                     Grated pecorino or mozzarella cheese
                     Pesto Sauce (You can make your own or get lazy and buy a package of it)

Put the water on to boil for the spaghetti

While waiting for the water to boil, saute the zucchini, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, minced garlic, and olives in olive oil. Add some oregano.

Grate the cheese.

Mix the pesto sauce according to directions in recipe or on package.

When the water is boiled, add the spaghetti. Boil until it’s al dente. Then drain in a colander.

Replace in the pot with the vegetables and pesto sauce and let it cook together on a low heat for 2 to 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.

Delicious!