GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Last week we told you about Mary Seger, whose ArtPrize entry was vandalized in downtown Grand Rapids. On Thursday, Seger's piece, "A Joyful Noise", gained a new purpose with help from an unexpected place.
Seger's artwork is made of recycled material, old silverware that's often tarnished and worn.
"I shine them up and I turn them into a wind chime that people love," she says.
Sending a message that all things have a second purpose.
"And you have to find that in people and in life in general," says Seger.
Two weeks after vandals damaged and stole parts of her artwork, that second purpose was found in an elementary school art class.
ArtPrize allowed Seger to move out here to the Oasis, where there's 24 hour security. However, "A Joyful Noise" was still left without several chimes.
Claire Morin, the elementary art teacher at Flat River Academy in Greenville, showed her sixth graders our story about Mary.
"They gave a variety of different answers of, like, that's horrible that somebody would go and ruin someone's artwork," says Morin.
Seger's artwork, which gives forks a second purpose, now receiving a new purpose of its own: Housing brand new wind chimes made by the students.
"It's fun to be able to help make people smile," says Rachel Bobinac, one of Morin's sixth grade students.
"This brings joy to people," says Seger. "The kids bringing their pieces here to me brings joy to me."
A joy felt by Morin, as well.
"It was just beautiful to see kids see an injustice and know that they needed to do something," says Morin.
Righting a wrong, and giving new life in the process. Seger's message of a second purpose successfully conveyed.
"Everything has another purpose besides what it was intended for," says Seger.
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