Raise a Glass to MECCA this Saturday
EUGENE, Ore. - Art can stimulate our brains - and keep tons of waste out of our landfills.
Last year alone, MECCA (Eugene’s unique Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts) enabled what would have been over 9 tons of material wasting away in landfills to become works of art, literally.
MECCA, housed in a building next to the train station, is bursting at the seams with people’s donated items. These items are just waiting to be selected and become a part of some artistic masterpiece or at least an enjoyed attempt at one.
When I was there getting the details on MECCA’s annual wine tasting and silent art auction, I got to see the place in action.
Volunteers sorted donated greeting cards, customers perused the treasures in the store part of MECCA and a woman excitedly donated bags of stuff.
“Make sure it all goes to a good home,” the giver said to the volunteer collecting donations.
“It will go to the perfect person,” the volunteer assured her.
MECCA Director Mija Andrade thanked the donator and continued to tell me about all that MECCA has to offer the public.
Their doors are open 4 days a week for the artist in all of us to come in, gather materials at garage sale prices, and sit at the large table in the studio section and use whatever equipment and resources needed (sewing machine, printing press, mosaic making tools, library, etc.).
MECCA also provides the art aspect for network charter schools, hosts a kids workshop every Saturday, displays a monthly featured reuse artist and has a teachers resource room in which they provide free materials for educators.
Juggling all of those programs and working in such an eclectic but cluttered space leads one to deserve an evening out on the town. Andrade is excited about this weekend’s Raise A Glass To MECCA event as it’s an opportunity to celebrate the volunteers, the supporters, the artists, and the cause. “We can dress up, chat, listen to great music, and drink wine together.”
Andrade showed me some of the pieces being auctioned off and I made mental note on which ones I am going to fight for. I was drawn to an acrylic paper and ink beauty titled “Caged Bird” and Andrade was enamored with a necklace made from a vintage hand painted sewing platter.
Raise A Glass To MECCA is Saturday, May 19, from 5-7 p.m. at the historic Windsor Caulkins House (588 East 11th Ave).
Admission is free, food is provided, music will be rocking with local tango quintet Mood Area 52 and wine tasting is $12. Beer and wine will also be sold by the glass, and there will be art worth bidding on by some of Eugene’s finest artists.
For more information go to www.materials-exhange.org or call MECCA at 541-302-1810.
