MATTAPOISETT — The meeting room of the Mattapoisett Public Library is filled with trash, or as some would call it, another man’s treasure.  

“RE-ART: Recycled Art Show” at the Mattapoisett Public Library presents the work of 12 artists from the community who submitted pieces made from at least 75% recycled materials. 

Artists responded with pieces diverse in medium and meaning, from textile works to woven paper to whimsical assemblages of found objects. 

According to the library, “RE-ART” gave artists an opportunity to raise awareness around “topics such as food waste, recycling and upcycling, climate change and sustainable ways of living.”

Artists included: Paul Duffy, Helen Lozoraitis, Marty Smith, David Meyers, Chuck McIntyre, Phoebe Girard, Karen J. Covey, Marianne deVaux, Matt Murray, John Middleton, Barb Van Inwegen, and Judy Morgan. 

Covey made a series of three collages woven from pages of an old family cookbook. The time-intensive process created a delicate knit of paper titled “Gourmet.”

“By working with pieces that already have a history, each piece is a study of the past, and how to hold onto the important connection we have to it,” wrote Covey in her artist statement. 

While some artists included a statement, other artworks speak for themselves. Murray’s “Nips R Us,” a plastic zip-lock bag filled with empty nip bottles, may be offering commentary on Mattapoisett’s pending discussion around a ban on the miniature alcohol bottles. 

Van Inwegen’s “Roadside Garden” is a diorama made from found objects — a car’s hubcap, discarded straws, and a dirty face mask — which depicts a small home inhabited by a felted mouse. 

Along with her artwork, Van Inwegen included a brief story telling the tale of “Maybelle Mouse,” who used discarded items to build her home. Maybelle is “looking forward to the day she takes her walk and doesn’t even find one tossed item cluttering up her beautiful town.”

The exhibit is on display through Saturday, Aug. 27, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

There will be a reception on Saturday at 2 p.m. Viewing is free and open to the public.