Wabash College students display recycled bicycle artwork

The gallery worked in conjunction with Sustainable Initiatives and Wabash College to display the bicycle artwork during its REvision exhibit.

“We wanted to do something that would go along with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan,” said Sue Lucas, president of Sustainable Initiatives. “Our organization felt it was right to do something playful for a bicycle-friendly community.”

The exhibit was part of a mutual advocacy project. It also was the second stage of Sustainable Initiatives’ REcycle Downtown project, which was completed Friday after the city dedicated a recycling initiative in honor of Ian Hudson’s memory.

Wabash College art professor Doug Calisch jumped at the opportunity to get his students involved in the REvision exhibit. He instructed his sculpture class students to create sculptures out of the college’s old bicycles.

Wabash sophomore Kolby Lopp won the People’s Choice Award by producing a sculpture replicating the Statue of Liberty. He used bicycle hand brakes to make wire flames move.

“I started sketching ideas and thought it would be great to make the Statue of Liberty,” Lopp said. “I submitted the sculpture just hoping people would like it.”

Wabash’s involvement was another goal of the gallery. New gallery director Diana McCormick wants to help Wabash students become more involved in the downtown area.

“We want the community to know the gallery works with Wabash,” McCormick said. “We also want the students to be involved in the city. We hope to carry this on.”

Crawfordsville approved its Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan in August. Lucas, who served on the plan’s advisory committee, understands it will be a while before the plan fully takes effect.

“The bicycle display was a visual cue to the community that we want to be creative and friendly to a long term plan,” Lucas said. “It was a seed of inspiration.”