Scrap to Splendid: Greenwood Middle School Students turn Recycling into Art

From used auto parts to rusty wire, Greenwood Middle School students transform scrap metal into stunning large-scale artworks. A reception will be held Tuesday, May 26 from 6-8 PM at Greenwood School, located at 17 Buena Vista Avenue, to view these striking and light-hearted works of art.

”I’m really proud of my project and how it turned out,” said Aurora Smith, an eight-grader. “The classes were so much fun, and the end result is so much more than I could have imagined.”

The Marin County Fair Commission was so taken with these nine sculptures they will install them in a prominent location for the upcoming fair this summer. Greenwood School Studio Art teacher Roberto Varriale says of this honor, “The Commission was so impressed that this work had been done by middle school students.”

The group of artists – Marley Constantine, Julian DeStefano, Tasco Estrada, Kai Kohlwes, Genki LeClair, Ethan Parker, Lin Reber, Aurora Smith, and Vasco Varriale – is composed of 7th and 8th graders. They each developed their own designs, but agreed they would all use the same materials. Once a basic frame was bent into shape and welded as needed, the students started to dress, fill, cover, and sometimes apply a chemical ‘wash’ to their projects.

According to Varriale, “The results are stunning - all this work has been done in a highly enthusiastic environment. The students’ participation has been very focused and collaborative. There has been a tremendous sharing of ideas, and they have all helped each other at different stages.”

“The vision these students have shown is truly remarkable,” says Archie Douglas, Head of School for Greenwood. “Not just in the creation of these artworks but in deciding to turn what some see as trash into something all together different. It speaks to their level of commitment to sustainability, something we instill in the curriculum at Greenwood.”