SRJC Students Turn Recycling Mistakes Into Gallery Art In Petaluma

PETALUMA, CA — Six students turned items mistakenly tossed into recycling bins into works of art for a new exhibit opening Thursday at Santa Rosa Junior College’s Petaluma Campus.

The Mahoney Library Gallery will showcase “Beautiful Trash,” featuring artwork created by students in the 2026 Recology Artstart Student Hub, or TRASH, residency program.

The exhibit, presented in partnership with Recology Sonoma Marin and Artstart, features work from six students selected for this summer’s residency. The students represent Petaluma High School, Sacramento State, Santa Rosa Junior College, and Sonoma State University.

Artwork by the Artstart program mentor and assistant will also appear in the exhibit.

During the residency, students visited Recology’s Materials Recovery Facility and selected “wishcycled” items — materials people place in recycling bins hoping they can be recycled, but that the recycling system ultimately cannot process.

The students transformed the discarded materials into artwork intended to prompt reflection and curiosity about waste, consumption, and what people choose to throw away.

The exhibit aims to give visitors a new perspective on familiar objects while encouraging them to consider the environmental effects of everyday choices.

The Mahoney Library Gallery will hold a public opening reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27. The exhibit will remain on display through Dec. 11 during regular Mahoney Library hours.

The gallery will also feature a book display focused on sustainability and related themes. SRJC students, employees, and community borrowers can check out the books.

The student artwork will move to the Petaluma Arts Center for another exhibition running Sept. 17 through Oct. 24. An opening reception there will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17.