This is a process project. Artist Barb Sorensen is photographing how nature interacts with trash in a section of the Potowatomie Forest Preserve on MIlwaukee Ave., in Wheeling, IL, and then alslo cleaning up the trash in that section of the woods.
The mission for the artist portion of this project is to create a traveling art exhibit featuring pictures of trash from this part of the Midwest. The exhibits will include:
100+ photographs
Video of behind the scenes work done putting this project together
Decorative Art made from some of the pieces of trash collected
Photographs of the clean up crew in process
Each exhibit will also be offered 1 hour sessions for viewers to try their hand at making art from trash and having it photographed and optioned to be included in the traveling exhibit, and to ask questions of the artists
"Man-on-the-Street" type interviews with random people in public places to add to the video
A website where visitors can view upcoming display dates, post their own Trash Art Cleanups, and photos/videos of their own Trash Art projects.
Short stories created about certain pieces of the trash collected
To explore where it came from, why, and how it got there
To clean up all the trash, after we have photographed and videotaped it
To dispose of the trash and recyclable items properly
To give due thanks and appreciation to the businesses that sponsor this event
To seek out 12 exhibit locations/year to display this project.
To network with curators and museum exhibit coordinators
To be inclusive of other businesses as advertising sponsors
To offer a fun community service project for people to get volunteer hours on while doing good for the community
The Objective of this project is to have fun with the trash and how nature plays with it, while also cleaning it up. I hope to encourage and inspire others to go have fun cleaning this stuff up by creating theirown exhibits as well.
How this project began (Background/History)
On an unusual out of season warm February day in early February 2026, I, Barb Kronau-Sorensen, went for an afternoon walk. Being new to the neighborhood, I decided to head north on Milwaukee avenue to explore the surroundings there. On the way, I noticed a lot of trash on the side of the road. Being an artist, and ever curious, I found a nice almost new screw driver lying in the dirt. I picked it up and examined it to see if it was still in good condition. To my luck, it was. Then I looked around to see if possibly it belonged to some one nearby. But there was no one around except lots of traffic rushing by. So I pocketed it, straightened myself up, and took a look at the edge of the forest there. I was standing next to the Potowatomie woods along the street. I saw how after the snow had melted, there revealed a LOT of trash strewn throughout the woods. I looked a little closer and found some interesting things, shapes, and objects. I was amazed and a bit intrigued by the ways nature wraps itself through and around these randomly tossed rejected items from humans. So I took out my little gopro camera and began photographing the "mess" and the interesting ways the trash and nature interacted. As I continued on my walk, I thought about how many people it might take to clean this stuff up. I considered the animals that poke in and around the trash and how it affects their habitat and paths in life. I wondered how all this trash got here. Was it tossed from cars? Did it fly out of garbage trucks on windy days? Did it fly from business yards across the street on windy days? Do the business owners want their signs and blown-away banners back? Do they care? Do they miss the items? How much these items must have cost their owners who created them... and on and on my thoughts went, and my questions left unanswered. They didn't need to be answered. I recognized how each piece of trash, has it's own individual story and journey it has been on. I began to write these stories in my mind as I imagined where the items came from and how they got there. Pretty soon, as I continued to walk north, I came across a little bank. I walked in to ask if they would consider sponsoring a cleanup project/art exhibit created from some of the trash I could find there and interesting photos of how nature interacts with the trash. They were interested and told me to send the info. When I got home, I remembered I had met one of the owners of an environmental type group called Cleanup-Giveback. I was impressed with their service work and how well they cleaned sites up. So I found them online and gave them a call. To my luck, they still had a date available and they sent me a flier to begin recruiting volunteers.... And that is how this project began. Curiosity of an artist, and a desire to live in clean surroundings. You can read updates on this project as it comes along in the blog below. If you have any questions, would like more info, would like to be an advertising sponsors in support of the project, or to join a cleanup, please send me a message.
About Barb Sorensen - Renaissance Syle Artist
Click here to read more about the artist
BLOG
03/22/2026 THANK YOU!!!!!! Wow! we cleaned up the first 35-50 feet deep of the forest preserve and 460 feet long within 2 hours! Found some interesting things. Electronic gadgets, underwear, fake flowers, golf ball, liquor bottles, and single dollar bill. Thank you to all the volunteers that came out to help! Seeing how you cleaned up, was almost like watching a pac-man game! LOL! steady and continuous. Wow! We collected 36 stuffed bags of trash and I enjoyed working with you all! Thank you for taking the time and sharing your day for cleaning the trash up. I got a bunch of burrs on my clothes and hair but they came out pretty easily. The day was sunny and warm and not very windy, which really helped keep trash from flying all around. Thank you Cleanup-Giveback for partnering on this cleanup! Your organizing skills and availability of tools, vests, buckets and bags was invaluable! I am so grateful to everyone yesterday for helping.
I am also very grateful to the following business for being sponsors for this art project/cleanup. Thank you!
STAVROS LAW - THANK YOU!!!! We appreciate the use of your parking lot and your support. Hope you enjoy the clean view outside your front door. :)
Matt's Cookies! - Wow! THANK YOU! for the delicious cookies and support. I have enjoyed getting to meet you and the cookies are delicious! and fresh! Your cookies helped make a very nice time for our volunteers to unwind after the event. Thank you.
La Casa De La Alegria - THANK YOU! for being an early supporter of this project and for your continued support and concern and love for the welfare of this community and area.
Thank you Saranello's Restaurant for the gift card for our volunteer's drawing. I am sure the winner will be enjoying a very delicious meal there.
Thank you Armo Grill for the gift certificate for our volunteer drawing. Your friendly ambience and delicious food will be a great pick-me-up for the winner.
Onwards - I am now going into the post-production phase of this cleanup. This means I am assimilating, sorting and choosing which photographs and videos will be used as part of the official exhibit. Then I edit it, create and record the custom sound track/music I have been working on, and create decorative pieces of art from certain pieces of trash I saved. And I also start the pre-production phase of the Exhibit grand opening. I am looking for a venue within Wheeling for July 31st throiugh September 31st to show the exhibit in. I am open to your ideas and suggestions. Please send me a message via my contact page.
I am also still gathering sponsorships in support of the post-production phase and the grand opening of the exhibit. Please contact me via my contact page if you or your business would like to sponsor this project. Thanks for your consideration!
03/21/202 I have been super busy this week sending out press releases, talking with volunteers,and gathering supplies. thank you to wonderful sponsors in support of this project. yay!!! itis 12:6and I am getting ready to headout to the forest preserve. I learned that burrs are less likely to stick to jeans, thatn knitted things. Yesterday I spent an hour pulling burrs off my knit pants and out of my hair LOL! Lesson learned! I am ready today. Jeans, cap, hair pulled back, tall boots in case of mud, and bug spray to keep the ticks off of me. Looking forward to a fun event and lots of fun photos and videos, and to meeting all the volunteers that signed up. Thank you to CLeanup-Giveback.org for organizing the cleanup portion of this project. Their expertise is amazing!
03/16/2026
Wow! I have been busy this week. I walked all overtown asking businesses to support this Project. I Love their enthusiasm for the cleanup and the fun project. Thank you! This week Saranello's offered a gift card for $50 for a drawing for the volunteers. Thank you also to La Casa De Alegria Grocery for their generous sponsorship. I love going their to shop. Thanks to all the businesses for allowing me toh ang up fliers to recruit volunteers.
Yesterday it was 65 degrees outside and rained so much I coud not walk around to follow up . Today it is 20 degrees cold and snowy. LOL. THis weatheris amazing and kind of fun!
It is 7:31. I have been up since 5 am umpdatingthe website and sending out emails. Thanks to the volunteers that signed up thus far yay!!!! I am looking forward to a fun event on Saturday!
Thanks for reading. Peace, Barb
03/12/2026
What a great day! Sunny, not too hot, not too cold, and friendly folks all-around.
I walked 2hours distributing fliers for the cleanup and gathering sponsors for the project.
Today I received a gift card from Saranello’s restaurant for free drawing for the volunteers to win on March 21st. What a fun incentive for the volunteers. Thanks Saranello’s!
One of the local bakeries offered a free cake for the volunteers! How nice!
I am also gathering advertising sponsorships in support of the art exhibit creation. Thank you for all your interest thus far! If you would like your company to sponsor this project,please email me at Emcy.sponsors@gmail.com.Thanks! Barb
03/09/2026
I feel as if there are many layers to the stories of trash in the forest preserve. I have been exploring them on my walks. Their stories are coming out soon. In the meanwhile I been busy sending out email blaststo everyone I know to invite them to sign up to help cleanup this part of the woods. If you are reading this, I hope you have already signed up and are coming to help.
I have been busy hustling behind the scenes to get the proposal for sponsors written, and fliers copied. I ran into a slight snag with the printery. I was running copies of the flier to hang up around town and the roller got dirty from all the green ink and so I had to wait until today. hopefully the printer is functional again today.
I already hung posters in some of the local area libraries. Palatine, Arlington Heights, Indian Trails and I sent the digital file to Barrington Library for their digital billboard.
I walk by the woods every day. I see more trash every day there. Yesterday I found a nice, like new floor mat for the kitchen. I am guessing it blewoff a truck that may have roared by and not knowni t flew out of it's cargo. I don't know thestory behind the mat. But I found it lying there, neatly folded up, as if to say "Humans have worn out their welcome in this forest preserve with all this trash". Or perhaps it was a sign as to where the entrance is to the forest preserve to go see more trash. hmmm.. that latter perspective is much more positive. will explore it further and let you know what else I can find. Peace!~ Barb
03/06/2026
Hi, this is Barb. I just finished creating this website forthe project. I hope you like it. I am now tweaking the sponsorship proposal/package info so I can begin gathering financial support for the art setup, exhibit and cleanup. If you would like to sponsor this project, please send me an email from the contactg page. Peace!, Barb