In memory, Donna Hicks 1962-2024

The Trashformer exhibit for Donna Hicks is open to the public May 2025 - September 2025 at the Grassroots Art Center with an open house August 23rd at 11 am - 2 pm, during the 2025 annual Adams Apple Festival.

Artist Biography

Okay, art lovers, gather 'round and get ready to meet the marvelously inventive Donna Hicks!

Born in May 1962, Donna arrived dancing to her own beat, seeing sparkle and potential where others saw... well, just stuff. From day one, she had an eye for the beauty in overlooked details and a restless urge to create. If it could be fiddled with, crafted, or reimagined, Donna was probably already doing it!

Life threw a curveball with a car accident that meant she couldn't keep up with a full-time job. But for an artist like Donna? That cloud had a seriously silver (or perhaps glittery, recycled-foil) lining: more time for art!

And what art it was! Donna became a champion of the discarded, a wizard of waste. Her mission? To rescue everyday items from their landfill fate and transform them into something extraordinary. Forget fancy art supply stores; Donna's "art fodder" was sourced from recycling bins, thrift stores, and generous friends. We're talking pennies spent, maximum creativity unleashed!

Her artistic journey began with vibrant marker and pen drawings on those tiny, traded artworks known as Artist Trading Cards (ATCs). Soon, her imagination demanded more dimension, leading her to sculpt whimsical creations from papier-mâché and aluminum foil. Discovering crochet opened another door, but Donna wasn't content with any yarn. Oh no! She ingeniously crafted her own "yarn" from plastic bags, old T-shirts, cassette and VHS tapes (yes, really!), plastic bottles, and more. If you threw it away, Donna probably wondered how she could crochet with it!

Her ingenuity didn't stop there. She mastered bookmaking, binding beautiful journals and sketchbooks from discarded food packaging, colourful magazines, old maps, and rescued paper scraps. Look closely at her work – you might spot treasures like old nail polish adding shimmer, bottle caps and their rings becoming embellishments, nutshells finding new purpose, onion bags adding texture, salvaged CDs catching the light, and even Easter grass woven into the mix. If Donna had an idea, she'd figure out how to make it happen with whatever materials called to her.

And did people notice? You bet! Donna charmed the judges and crowds alike, snagging multiple blue ribbons at the Rooks County Free Fair and the prestigious Kansas State Fair. Her "Fish Pictures" became a particular sensation. The first one she created swam away with blue ribbons from both fairs in the same year! Talk about making a splash! This success spurred her on, spreading "fishy love" and encouraging her unique vision.

This wave of recognition led her to connect with fellow creators, joining the esteemed Grassroots Art Center, showcasing her work at the Capitol Gift Store in Topeka, and later becoming part of the Switchgrass Artists Cooperative. Through her art–traded across the globe via ATCs and Naked Art mail exchanges, and shared within the vibrant Grassroots community – Donna built friendships and sparked inspiration far and wide.

So, as you explore the gallery today, remember Donna Hicks. See her playful spirit, her resourceful mind, and her deep belief that beauty and art can be found absolutely anywhere, especially where you least expect it. Enjoy the magic!