Open-air ‘Upcycle Fair’ supports Tool Library

If you missed this inaugural event – here’s a look at who was doing what, on a fine sunny afternoon at Cartlandia …

Shoppers stop by vendors at outer East Portland’s first “Upcycle Fair”.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
For five hours, the back lot of mobile dining corral Carlandia, on SE 82^nd Avenue at the Springwater Trail crossing, was turned into a combination art gallery, silent auction, and recycling fair, on September 15.

“It’s a fundraiser for the Green Lents Community Tool Library,” said Jessica Anders, the co-chair of Green Lents and creator of the Up-Cycle Fair.

Green Lents’ Co-Chair Jessica Anders and Treasurer Melanie McCandless show off a couple of items they hope folks will purchase to support their efforts .

“Here’s what ‘up-cycle’ is,” Anders told East Portland News. “Up-cycling is basically taking items that nobody wants anymore – sometimes it’s recyclable pieces, and things like that – and turning it into something that can be reused again. It’s turning potential junk into reusable items.”

Melanie McCandless, the organization’s treasurer, added, “Now that the Tool Library has a location, we’re working to build a base of stable cash flow.”

Jessica Supinski of Reconstructed Home shows how “neglected, sad and lonely” items can have life put back into them, to make them “pretty and new” again.

The organizers rounded up five “upcycle” vendors to appear at the in outer East Portland venue, and staged an upcycling garage sale. “And, we were donated several pieces of art from neighbors here in the area, for a silent auction,” Anders commented.

“Roger and Carol of Cartlandia are fantastic community partners,” McCandless said. “We got the idea of having the event here, because of the Johnson Creek Watershed Council bike ride ending here. These two people are big supporters of the community; and were gracious enough to give us space to have the event.”

Shelby Day of Island Inspired says she appears at craft shows throughout the Pacific Northwest, making items out of recycled Hawaiian shirts, board shorts, and shell lei’s – upcycling them into jewelry and fashion accessories.

To learn more about Green Lents and their projects, see their website: CLICK HERE.

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