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Becky Tesch makes art and jewelry from found objects and discarded items. She has harbored a special affinity for bicycle parts – and especially the rubber inner tubes – since she moved in with her now-husband, a bike shop manager and mechanic, many years ago.

"When we moved in together, there were bike parts everywhere and I started using them for jewelry," says Tesch. "I love to reuse and repurpose things so that they don't go into landfills."

Tesch has a small art business called Chainstay Jewelry & Design. Normally, she sells her work at various local galleries and businesses like Sparrow Collective and Milwaukee Community Acupuncture, but currently she is selling primarily on Facebook. Check it out here.

Prior to the pandemic, Tesch picked up garbage from gutters, sidewalks and streets to use as art materials, but lately she's been hesitant to do so in order to ensure health for herself and family.

"Luckily I've got a pretty good stash going in my house so I think I'll be OK," she says.

Tesch, who studied art and design at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has been making things out of other things for most of her life. As a child she made dollhouse furniture from little things she found around her home.

"I feel like my process breaks them down far enough that they're not easily recognizable, and then I build them back up and send them out into the world," says Tesch.