- [Announcer] On this episode of The Infinite Art Hunt.

- I just, I just need it.

I know the neighborhood birds would love how new it is.

- All these big spaces are here for children to play, to explore, and to create it in.

- That explains why everything's so tiny and why I got an apple juice when I walked in.

- So how does using recycled material help the environment?

- We take something that would've ended up in the landfill or would've ended up in the garbage can and we give it a second life.

We're, well, first of all, we're making sure that we're not filling up all of our landfills and then we're creating something new and exciting and encouraging other people to think of trash in a new way.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer 2] Lead support for this program has been provided by the William Penn Foundation with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Sidewater Family Foundation, the Thomas Locke Charitable Fund, and viewers like you.

(children cheering) - Hey there, art connoisseurs, Freddie here and welcome to the Infinite Art Hunt.

If you are tuning in for the first time.

The Infinite Art Hunt is my summer quest to learn everything that I can about art.

I am meeting cool artists, making some art for myself and I'm bringing you with me for the best summer ever.

My art mission for today, you may ask, learning all about using recycled materials.

I'm talking old sofas.

I'm talking old soda cans.

I'm talking anything with a past.

But I also have another art mission, something that I need more than anything in the world.

The newest, fanciest, shiniest, most expensive avian accommodation to ever hit the market.

The Birdhouse 3000, (birds chirping) it will be mine.

So buckle up your art belts because it's time for the Infinite Art Hunt.

♪ It's the infinite art hunt ♪ - [Singer] Hey guys, over here.

♪ We're on another adventure with Freddie ♪ ♪ Looking for art and making friends ♪ ♪ Checking in with Grandma Tilly, the adventure never ends ♪ ♪ We're going to go to real places, find magic and wonder ♪ ♪ And try new things and see what we can discover ♪ ♪ There's art everywhere, and I really want to explore ♪ ♪ It's in the food that we eat ♪ ♪ In the trees, in the forest ♪ ♪ It's the Infinite Art Hunt ♪ - [Singer] This is amazing, it's the art hunt.

♪ It's the Infinite Art Hunt ♪ - Stop everything you're doing and look up to the sky.

Is it a bird?

Is it a house?

Is it 3000?

It's all the above.

It's the new Birdhouse 3000.

The world's shiniest new birdhouse.

The world's most expensive new birdhouse.

It's new, new, new.

Do birds love it?

We don't know.

But more importantly, your friends and neighbors will admire you for having such a brand new tree accessory.

You'll be the coolest cat in the whole town.

Secure your status in the town with the low low price of 99.99, 99, 99.

Buy the new Birdhouse 3000 today.

- It's so, new, it's so shiny.

- You know, I had an idea for a bird hotel once.

(laughs) It was called the Flying Friends Resort and Spa.

- I can picture it.

The little birds sitting on the heated jacuzzi or maybe singing bird karaoke in the sky lounge or playings ski ball in the bird arcade.

(laughs) - Bird arcade, don't be ridiculous, Freddie.

It would be called a birdcade and they would play that crane game.

- I just, I just need it.

I know the neighborhood birds would love how new it is.

- You know what I would love is the studio's assistant's assistant to help me unclog these blue bottles.

- Okay.

I just want it so bad.

I'm so bored.

I need something new to do.

Like the Bird House, 3000.

(vocalizing) - Hi grandma.

- Hello there, Freddy.

Hey there, Hildegard.

Grandma Tilly's, helping out an old friend today with some, ♪ Background vocals ♪ how are things at the studio?

- Well, these glue bottles are stupendously stubborn.

- Grandma Tilly, I have a new mission in life.

I am determined to be the proud owner of the new shiny brand spanking new, BH 3000.

- A BH 3000.

What's a BH 3000?

A bunion helper, 3000?

- The Birdhouse 3000.

It's the newest, fanciest birdhouse on the market.

I need it.

I mean the neighborhood birds need it.

- Hildegard, didn't you have an idea for a bird house?

What was it?

Oh yes, flying Friends Resort and spa.

It's delightful that you remembered.

- That sounds exciting.

But what I wanna know is what's your art mission today?

- Oh, I wanna learn everything I can about making art with recycled materials.

- Ooh, I was hoping you'd say that.

I have the perfect person.

Check them out.

- Hi, Freddie, it's Francis at Smith Memorial Playground.

Grandma Tilly told me that you're coming out here.

Can't wait to see it.

- You're gonna have a lot of fun today.

Hey, do me a favor, Freddie Baby.

Think about why you want that BH 3000 maybe making some art.

We'll help you figure that out.

- Will do grandma, - And help Hildegard with those glue caps.

Oh, and one more thing.

I have a shoebox of old Popsicle sticks.

Can you figure out what to do with those for me?

See you later, Freddie, and I'll talk to you soon.

Hmm, love you.

- Glue cap bottle.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the newest and fanciest glue cap bottle Hotel with the amazing Olympic sized glue swimming pool.

- Indeed it's called the glue, it's called the Glue Cabana.

- The glue Cabana of paste and wonder.

- Oh, you are good.

(upbeat music) - Thanks for giving me a ride uncle Mars, uncle Mars?

- Oh, no problem Freddie.

I'm always up for an art venture.

Are these chairs extra tiny or are we giants.

- Extra tiny, I think.

What is this place?

- Hi, Freddie, hi Uncle Mars.

- Hi, you must be Francis, Grandma Tilly told me all about you.

- She did, did she tell you about the experimental funk band that we were in, GT and the Players.

- You know, she didn't, but that sounds like Grandma Tilly.

This place is huge.

- Yes, this is Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse.

It's 16,000 square feet and it's been open since 1899.

All these big spaces are here for children to play, to explore, and to create in.

- That explains why everything's so tiny and why I got an apple juice when I walked in.

- Where did you get that apple juice?

- There are so many toys here.

- Yeah, most of them are donated.

So they lived in someone else's home and now they're here for a second life.

- Did anyone happen to donate a BH 3000?

- A Bigfoot Hypnotizer 3000?

- No, a Birdhouse 3000.

It's a feathering, fantastical new birdhouse with a tiny little robot butler to make bird seed smoothies.

- Ooh, that sounds fancy, but do birds like it?

- I don't really know.

I guess the commercial didn't really talk about that.

- Well, you look creative.

I bet you could make your birdhouse dreams come true by making it yourself.

And in fact I have a very creative person that I wanna introduce you to.

Follow me - Right behind you.

I just gotta finish my juice (upbeat music) - Megan.

- Oh, you must be Freddie, Grandma Tilly told me all about you.

- She did.

- Yeah, we took a road trip to Kansas once and we had a lot of time to talk.

- Well, I talked to Francis and she said that you're a pretty creative person.

Is it okay if I ask you a few questions?

- Sure.

- Well, that means it's time for too many questions with Freddie.

(upbeat music) What is your name?

- My name is Megan.

- Do you have any nicknames?

- Some people call me Meg.

- What do you do?

- I am a play designer.

- What's Studio Ludo?

- We design playgrounds and we also study how people play so we can design even better playgrounds.

- What did you like to play as a kid?

- So when I was a kid, we had this huge tree that hung out over a river, and our game was to see how far you could climb out before you fell it.

- Hmm, what makes a great playground?

- I think great playgrounds have plenty of places to get up super high and slides that go super fast.

- What's your favorite part about designing?

- I love thinking about something that's never been designed before.

Coming up with it in my brain and then figuring out how to make it a reality.

- Is design art?

- It kinda is art, but it's art not like you would see in a museum and something that you would hang on a wall.

It's art outside and even more fun.

It's art that you get to play on.

- What's your favorite dance move?

- My favorite dance move.

I'd have to say the cabbage patch.

- Can you show us?

- Yeah.

- How do you design a playground?

- So first you come up with the the plan in your mind and then you just start doodling and noodling and making little models and then making bigger models.

Put it in the computer.

And then you give all those drawings that you make in the computer to a contractor, and then they build it.

- What's the play play-brary?

- The play-brary is a loose parts library full of reusable and disposable materials for play.

Fake cardboard, cardboard tubes.

- Popsicle sticks?

- Oh, absolutely.

Cardboard can be just cardboard or it can be a prop for you to make anything that your imagination can think of.

- Do you think I could try?

- Of course.

- And I'll start warming up my design muscles.

- Freddie, Freddie, Freddie?

Oh yeah.

(upbeat music) (wolf howls) (upbeat music continues) - Our activity today is that we are gonna make a playground for a gnome.

- Cool.

- So what we're gonna do first is we have our little collection of gnomes.

We're gonna pick one.

In order to design something you have to know who you're designing for.

So which one of these guys are you gonna pick?

- Hmm, let me see.

I think this one really speaks to me.

- I'm gonna go for this guy.

It's looking a little confused.

He found his little mushroom.

He's going on an adventure.

So then we're looking at our materials and we're gonna say, okay, what kind of playground is this guy looking for?

Does he like to swing?

Does he like to be up in a giant tree house?

Maybe he wants a cave full of mushrooms.

What about your person?

- I think it likes to just be relaxed and not do too much.

So I think I'll make it like a very chill space.

- Like a chill, maybe like on the ground kind of.

- On the ground.

- Like den, I think this guy wants to be like in a tree house up high.

He like has a long stare that he's doing.

- He looks like he's on a journey.

- Yeah, he definitely does.

Okay, so we're gonna start.

We're gonna look at our materials.

We have all kinds of cool things here.

We have like beads and bubble wrap.

I don't know, maybe they're end of the bubble wrap.

Some egg curtains.

I don't know.

What do you think?

What do you wanna start with?

I think I'm gonna go pick a base first.

- Yeah, pick a base.

- Looks good, how am I gonna attach this to this?

- It would definitely like to be here for some of it.

- Oh my gosh, that's so cute, I love that.

All right, maybe some rubber bands.

There's so many great things here.

Oh, and we also have tools in case you wanna use some tools.

So if you're working with cardboard, we have these cardboard saws and then we also have these little fidgets that you can kind of attach the cardboard to itself.

All right.

We also have eyes.

- Perfect.

- Like a lifetime supply of eyes - Necessary, okay.

How about this?

So that has a lot of places to.

- That's awesome.

- Now I'm gonna need a bridge.

- Yeah, exactly.

I was gonna say, how are you gonna get from like one spot to the other spot?

- Let me think.

- Was wondering about making some sort of, oh yeah, this is awesome, ooh, tape.

- Can I break a little piece of this off?

- Oh yeah, it's all for you.

The process, it's all about the process.

- Yes, I'm gonna connect these off right here and then cut it.

- [Meghan] Love it.

Okay, also the tape is colored so you can do like decorative tape, be part of your design.

(gentle music) - Ooh that looks fun.

- So how does using recycled material help the environment?

- Well, when we take something that would've ended up in the landfill or would've ended up in the garbage can and we give it a second life, we're, well, first of all we're making sure that we're not filling up all of our landfills and then we're creating something new and exciting and encouraging other people to think of trash in a new way.

Like this isn't always just garbage.

It's informing like a whole creative process here.

- So what about new things?

Is it bad to want new things?

Are they better than old things?

- Not necessarily.

I mean, it's great to have new and exciting things but it's just important to think about what is gonna happen to them after it stops working.

Or maybe it's a toy that you've outgrown or clothes that you've outgrown.

So thinking about things have multiple lives and where are they gonna go after you're done playing with them or using them?

I'm gonna put, I'm making it like a smiley face on this.

- Do we have glue, ah, yes.

- Mine definitely has a blue theme because as you can see, my gnome has a blue hat and blue shoes - And a blue binkie.

- And a blue binkie.

- Okay, my guy, I guess well, my guy is supposed to have a red theme 'cause he has red shoes.

I need to tape him up here.

How did he make his way up here?

He's hanging out for dear life.

- So Megan, when you're making a real life playground do you ever start small like we are?

- Almost every single playground that we design starts first in our heads, then we draw pictures of it and we try to be like really relaxed when we're drawing.

We don't wanna make sure we don't wanna draw something and get it right on the first try.

We wanna be really flexible because we're designing something that no one's ever seen before.

And then once we draw it then we start making little models just like this.

It helps us to figure out what that playground could be, what it could be made out of.

And sometimes it gets people excited.

So for our tree houses that we designed for the playground in New York City, the people that made it for us had never made a tree house that looked just like that.

It was actually woven.

It's like these big woven eggs in the sky.

And when we first talked to 'em about it, they were like we don't wanna do that.

We don't, it's not what we do it's not what we specialize in.

We've never made a tree house that's been woven before like these big woven eggs.

And then we made a model of it.

A little physical model was about this big.

And once we showed them the model they got so excited that they decided to make it.

So sometimes when you're designing something that no one has ever seen before making a little model of it gets them inspired and excited and it helps them visualize something.

Because if they've only ever seen a playground like what we see every day which is like posts and platforms and slides.

But if you're like, I wanna do a 30 foot tall treehouse and they're like, well I don't know what that looks like.

So we'll say, well let's make a little miniature model of that perfect treehouse.

So Freddie, why do you want the birdhouse 3000 so bad?

- Well, I thought that since it was the newest and shiniest then that made it the best.

But now I'm wondering if birds even like it.

I think I'm gonna try to make my own.

Maybe I can make something even better using the stuff I already have.

- I think that's a great idea.

Okay, so we're gonna gonna do a couple of last finishing touches.

Make sure everything is exactly how we want it to be.

So Bianca, do you wanna go first?

Do you wanna explain?

- Yes, okay.

So I made it sort of because this guy kind of looks like he wants to like sleep a little bit.

So I made it more like a parkour course.

The little gnome can start right here and it can take a nap if it likes to, and then it can bridge over here take another nap because naps are very necessary.

Then it can either go on this pedestal and then jump into a little cozy bed and then there's some ball pits that it can chill in.

And then this where just tissue paper and it's blocked out by the rest of the world, so it can just relax.

Then some wire, another ball pit.

And finally at the end of the course, my favorite part, a slide - An an epic eyeball slide into is where he started off.

- Into where it started off.

So it could do the whole thing again.

- This is like parkour nap ball slide land.

- Absolutely.

- I love it.

- You wanna tell me yours?

- Sure, so my guy, it looked like he wanted to go on an adventure.

So he's up here, he's kind of like looking out.

So we got to the top of his tower, his big giant tree house.

He has a huge slide through like some spray tubes here.

So the gnome, he wants in on the fun.

So he goes for one bounce, pssh, goes for the second bounce, pssh, goes for the third bounce, pssh mega bounce, all the way to the top and then they're gonna slide down the slide together.

- [Freddie] That's epic.

- Thank you, new things made from old things - New things made from old things.

Hey, where's Uncle Mars?

- I think I heard some squealing coming from the slide.

I'll go get him.

- Okay, art connoisseurs new plan.

Maybe the birdhouse 3000 isn't my ultimate goal in life.

Can I make something that doesn't create waste and is comfortable for the neighborhood birds?

I think I have an idea.

- [Uncle Mars] Freddie.

- Uncle Mars.

- Freddie, this place is awesome.

- Let's get you home, Uncle Mars.

- I just have to do this slide one more time.

No, three more times, I swear.

- Come on.

- Race you to the car.

- Stop right there for the next 10 minutes we're running a super awesome deal for the Birdhouse 3000.

Like I said, this is the shiniest new birdhouse.

You're gonna want it.

I promise you.

Have you bought it yet?

Get out there and start buying it folks.

All the kids, all the adults, all the birds they want this birdhouse.

Did you buy it yet?

Come on, what are you waiting for?

Your life will change, I promise you.

Everybody's gonna want to come to your house, I promise.

All the birds, all the neighbors, the kids want it.

The schools are buying it.

The cafeterias are selling them.

Come on, what are you waiting for?

Come on folks, I'm begging you.

Let me level with you.

Please buy these birdhouse three thousands.

I already bought 3000 of them and I only sold one and that was to my mother.

Look how happy these birds are.

Look at the color of this thing.

Nobody likes the old stuff.

They want the new stuff.

You know you want it.

Everybody wants the birdhouse 3000.

So why don't you pick up the phone and buy the birdhouse 3000.

- I've had a revelation.

- Fredery, do tell.

- Well, the Birdhouse 3000 is really cool and really fancy and shiny and new and expensive.

- Yes, yes it is.

- But I want to make a birdhouse myself using recycled materials, Grandma Tilly's Popsicle sticks.

Maybe it's not fancy or shiny or expensive, but it's cool comfortable and new because it's made by me.

Can you help?

- I would undeniably be delighted.

- Okay, so we're gonna put the base here.

- Oh, and yes, that way, it doesn't.

Good, good, good, good.

- It's got a nice little floor, glue right here is where the birds you can stand just like a little house.

- Ooh, I see you're doubling up, extra sturdy.

- Extra sturdy.

So the birds don't fall, it's good.

They can sit and maybe right here we can put a little bird couch so they can sit.

- [Hildegard] Oh my goodness, maybe should we start crossing now?

- I think we should.

(upbeat music) - Voila - It looks amazing.

(vocalizing) - Well, hey, it looks like someone had a great idea for my Popsicle sticks.

- We did, presenting the flying friends spa and resort.

- Oh my feathered feature has come to life.

- You know, we learned that you don't need to buy something new to make it fancy.

You can make amazing art out of materials that you already have and you can make something even better.

- Tell 'em Freddie, oh, sounds like an exciting day.

Recycled art is more than what you make.

It's about why you make it.

Good job both of you.

Now keep cleaning those glue caps, bye now.

(sends kiss) - Glue, paperclip, please.

Presenting the new fanciest, most bedazzled Most expensive collection of art called the Gluseum of Tacky Wonder.

- Nice.

(upbeat music) We made it art connoisseurs.

My mission of learning about recycled materials is complete.

Another round of applause for the newest owner of a custom bird house, me.

(applause) You know, there's a lot of beauty to be found in used materials.

I mean, a box of Popsicle sticks can make a brand new birdhouse.

Imagine all the other things we can make.

Until next time, I will see you on my next adventure.

For the infinite art hunt ♪ It's the infinite art hunt.

♪ - [Singer] Hey guys, over here.

♪ We're on another adventure with Freddie ♪ ♪ Looking for art and making friends ♪ ♪ Checking in with Grandma Tilly, the adventure never ends ♪ ♪ We're going to go to real places, find magic and wonder ♪ ♪ And try new things and see what we can discover ♪ ♪ There's art everywhere, and I really want to explore ♪ ♪ It's in the food that we eat ♪ ♪ In the trees, in the forest ♪ ♪ It's the Infinite Art Hunt ♪ - [Singer] This is amazing, I see art.

♪ It's the Infinite Art Hunt ♪ - [ Narrator ] Lead support for this program has been provided by the William Penn Foundation with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Sidewater Family Foundation, the Thomas Locke Charitable Fund, and viewers like you.

(upbeat music) - [ Narrator 2] Continue the fun at home with art, projects, activities, and printables.

Paired with the episode you just watched.

Available at whyy.org/theinfinitearthunt.

(upbeat music)