Hardly hardware, but what? (A Closer Look).

When you see objects made from recycled materials or hardware being used in ways not originally intended, do any of these words come to mind: clever, inventive, creative, novel, innovative, artful, tasteful, beautiful, expressive, meaningful? If not, what?

For many people, summer journeys include trips to the county fair, folk festivals, and outdoor craft shows. On such adventures, if we really take time to look around, we are sure to find objects of interest and puzzlement. Just when we think we've mastered the study of art by identifying all the major categories of art forms, we encounter "nail art." Where does a pastel floral design created from common nails and brads fit into our way of thinking about art? What are we to think about a floral bouquet made from plumbing fixtures or a garden scarecrow made from recycled garden tools and automobile parts?

In pondering these questions, we might want to visit a town dump or junkyard. What, if anything, is appealing or interesting about these discarded and untended objects? Do they have a life beyond their intended use? Can one person's trash truly be another person's treasure? When does old hardware cease to be hardware and become art?