Think twice before you toss that gum wrapper in the trash can, be sure to give those red bins on the sides of the road a thorough inspection, and above all, remember that your junk drawer is full of hidden potential.

Materials for art can come from anywhere, according to an upcoming workshop for families.

From 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania will offer its final family workshop in the Target Time Together creative arts programs for parents and children.

This session, "Art From Anything — Working with Recycled Materials," focuses on being creative with throwaway materials, according to an Art Alliance press release.

The Art Alliance was founded in 1968 by the Lemont Community and is supported by over 300 active members who share an interest in art. To bring surrounding communities the Target series, Art Alliance teamed up with Target stores, who sponsored the experimental series through a grant.

Connie McGeorge, the acting executive director of Art Alliance, points out that the program provides families with a plethora of positives, including a much-needed respite from "cabin fever."

McGeorge also commented that Amalia Shaltiel, an accomplished artist and longtime teacher, fits naturally into her role as instructor of Art From Anything.

Shaltiel is the children's program coordinator of Art Alliance and has conducted classes and workshops in the Central Pennsylvania region for people of all ages. Shaltiel said she works primarily with clay and assemblage, a sculptural technique of composing into a unified whole a group of unrelated and often fragmentary or discarded objects.

One of Shaltiel's first sculptures was born from a stack of old magazines and paper maché. Since then, she has devoted countless hours to the art of assemblage. The participants of Art From Anything will follow in her footsteps, using their own imaginations to create a sculpture that reflects a family experience.

Shaltiel explains her passion for creating art from sorted materials with a simple declaration: "It's fun."

Shaltiel said this is the very reason the final workshop, Art From Anything, will appeal to children. The atmosphere at the workshop will be more playful than professional, she said.

One of the biggest challenges faced by the creators of the program was accommodating the needs of both children and their parents. McGeorge was concerned about selecting chairs and tables just the right size for parent and child.

They took into consideration children's short attention spans, and broke the workshop down into several activities. After 11 days of planning, McGeorge and Shaltiel are confident they've discovered a program perfect for those who will attend.

Materials such as old fabric, cardboard and dried flowers will be provided at the workshop. Participants are encouraged to bring their own materials, as well. After all, one of the primary goals of the workshop, according to McGeorge, is to encourage self-expression. The benefits of Art From Anything, McGeorge hopes, won't stop there.

Like Art From Anything, previous workshops in the Target series offered parents and children a fun, shared experience and a chance to work together.

However, the final workshop adds something unique to the mix because it is an activity that doesn't have to end with the close of the class. "You can do it anywhere," an enthusiastic McGeorge said. "On a rainy day, an old box of buttons or a broken piece of jewelry can be transformed into a work of art."

As further incentive to pour their hearts into their sculptures, families will have the opportunity to enter their pieces in the Art Alliance's 2001 Recycled Art Show, which features prizes of up to $50 in cash and gift certificates. Urbanization, You and Your World is the Art Alliance's 7th Annual Recycled Art Exhibit. The exhibit is scheduled for Earth Day weekend, April 20 to 22. Unlimited entries can be submitted for a registration fee of $10. One rule presides over the exhibit — the art submitted must be constructed mainly of recycled materials. Instead of a panel of judges, viewers of the exhibit will determine the winners. The deadline for entry is April 13. For more information on Art Alliance's programs, call 234-2740.