Craft-O-Tron makes first school appearance
Canon-McMillan High School Art Club members involved in the project include, from row from left, Alondra Martinez, Nicole Wozny, Lindsey Baumann, Phoenix White, Allison Greenawald, Riley O’Rourke and Riley McGrady; middle row from left, Chloe Lousk, Jacob Bard, Lindsay Hill and Molly Richmond; and back row from left, Ashley Baker, Cassidy King, Seth Butler, Baylee Smith, Jack Kropinak, Allison Paxton, Joseph Denuzzio and Halie Abt.
A pierogi cat, one of the most popular items from the machine
Lynne Kropinak stands with the machine she bought five years ago for $100 and retrofitted to dispense local artists’ projects.
The Craft-O-Tron
A close-up of the cigarette machine knobs and art dispensed from the machine
One of the trademarked “Kreepy Dolls,” each of which comes with a unique look and name
Baylee Smith holds one of the pendants she molded with epoxy resin and glitter to put in the Craft-O-Tron.
CANONSBURG – Stocked with mini canvases, pendants and even crocheted pierogi dolls, the “Craft-O-Tron” began its first school visit at Canon-McMillan School District in April and will remain until the end of May.
The altered and decorated cigarette dispenser was purchased five years ago by Lynne Kropinak as she set out to offer a way for local artists to distribute and showcase their work in a novel way.
But this is the first time a student art club is getting in on the action and selling its wares for $5 as a club fundraiser.
“I got this cigarette machine for $100 off of eBay. Then we fitted it with a bill upgrade so it could take $5 bills, what each piece of art inside the machine costs,” Kropinak said. “It’s been having a tour of Pittsburgh neighborhoods, but this is the first time it’s spending time in a school.”
Those who purchase student projects – mini paintings, “emoticon” badges and stamps, and glittered pendants – will be supporting the art club. Money spent on Pittsburgh-area artists’ work will go to those artists. The first submission by artist Alicia Kachmar remains the machine’s most popular – crocheted pierogi dolls.
“There’s also these trademarked ‘Kreepy Dolls,’ that each come with a name and a unique look. This is one of the best ways to showcase an artist’s work, and it’s a fun way to interact with the region’s artists,” Kropinak said.
Art teacher Ashley Vanauken encouraged her students to submit unique ideas that would be eye-catching to their peers. Sophomore Baylee Smith had a ready-made plan to mass produce pendants.
“It’s basically just epoxy resin and glitter. And I had made these before, molded them down and let them set overnight,” Smith said.
Freshman Allison Greenawald submitted one of the featured mini-canvases, a starry cityscape done in acrylic paint.
“The two-by-two-inch canvases are perfectly sized for the dispenser. They’re legible works of art,” Vanauken said.
Other stamps appeal to pop culture and music, like Joseph Denuzzio’s Pink Floyd album cover mock-ups.
In all, there have been 3,000 items purchased through the Craft-O-Tron since its debut, according to Kropinak.
“I’m hoping other art clubs see this in time for next school year, and we’ll continue to showcase aspiring – and working – artists’ projects,” Kropinak said.
More information can be found at the Facebook page of “The Pittsburgh Crafto-Tron Machine.”