Anything can be recycled, including a passion for disciplines like art. Tiffany Lemmons of Lexington Park grew up surrounded by the subject. “My father was an artist so I’ve painted all my life,” said Lemmons, who also credits her high school art teacher with inspiring her.

“[She] always believed in me, so she continually entered my art in shows and helped me sell my artwork to places like the Opera,” said Lemmons. “I used multiple media such as acrylic paint, oil pastels and ink. My painting style includes a little bit of everything.”

Lemmons admitted that after high school she did not spend a lot of time painting. Instead she went off to school to pursue a career as an electrical engineer.

In 2013, Tiffany Lemmons strong interest in art reemerged. It led to her participation in the Patuxent Habitat for Humanity’s annual Recycled Art Show.

“Last year, I started having craft nights at my house with my friends,” Lemmons recalled. “My friend, Crystal Rones, who works for Habitat for Humanity encouraged me to participate in the art show. I decided to participate because I love art and I value the vision of Habitat for Humanity.”

Lemmons said she then took a shopping trip to Habitat’s ReStore in Lexington Park to find an item to recycle.

“This wooden dresser caught my eye because I noticed there were five sections that could include different paintings,” Lemmons stated. “That project not only introduced me back into art but I learned a lot about re-finishing furniture in the process. My objective was to paint something that could be used daily and represents the Chesapeake Bay. To obtain a better perspective of the local area I asked Taylor Woodburn-Camp to help since he grew up in Calvert County on the bay. Taylor made two of the pieces, the Skipjack boat and the lighthouse. The dresser took a lot of time—about 50 hours—and included sanding, coating with primer, painting using acrylic, and was finished with a clear coat to protect the paint.  I named the dresser ‘By the Bay.’ ”

Lemmons recycled and restored masterpiece proved to be very popular at Habitat’s 2013 Recycled Art Show and Auction

 

 

“My favorite part about that night was the auctioneer’s enthusiasm,” Lemmons recalled “I really enjoyed painting it, so I decided to participate again this year.”

Patuxent Habitat for Humanity was so impressed with the react