Dozens of artists will fill The Commons in Columbus on Saturday for the 21st annual Déjà Vu Art and Fine Craft Show, a juried event built entirely around turning castoff materials into finished art. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 300 Washington St., and admission is free.
According to The Republic, 55 Hoosier artists are participating this year alongside seven more coming from Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky. Indiana Artisan, however, says the show expects 60 artists total, including some from neighboring states and dozens from across Indiana — the two organizations' counts don't quite line up, but both point to a substantial, multi-state lineup filling the venue. Work on display spans collage, jewelry, book arts, home decor, mixed media, sculpture, wearable art, weaving, woodworking, mosaic and glass art, the paper's report notes.
A Featured Artist Who Builds Funky Furniture
This year's featured artist is Leslie McCarthy, who is based in Shelbyville, Kentucky, and works primarily as a fiber and textile artist, per the same account. McCarthy repurposes thrift-store and antique furniture frames to create what she calls “funky furniture,” blending vibrant textiles with wood, metal and paint into bright, whimsical custom pieces and home accessories.
The show's organizers describe it as a juried event meant to prove that work made from repurposed items can match the quality of pieces built from new materials, the report states. Repurposing materials also helps conserve landfill space along with the energy and natural resources that would otherwise go into producing goods from fresh supplies, according to the article.
From Repurposed Scraps to a Sustainable Materials Category
The show's own event listing, via Deja Vu 2026 Show Information, says every piece on display is made from scrap materials or items that have been repurposed, and that organizers added a category a few years back specifically to recognize artists working with sustainable, natural materials. The event was created and is coordinated by Indiana Artisan Marilyn J. Brackney, according to Indiana Artisan.
The show has grown considerably since its early days. A 2025 Republic article recalled that the first show, held in April, drew around 30 to 35 local artists before expanding to include out-of-state participants. That same report noted the show skipped a year due to the 2008 flood, and that it has selected a featured artist annually since 2012 — last year's pick was Columbus resident Agnes Faverjon, who creates mixed-media collages from old books and paper.
Past Exhibitors Have Turned Silverware Into Wildlife
The creative range on display has included some unlikely transformations over the years. Past exhibitor Gary Hovey crafted wildlife sculptures from discarded forks, spoons and other reclaimed metal, according to Visit Columbus Indiana. Last year's show, held Nov. 8, drew hundreds of attendees who bought thousands of dollars' worth of art and fine crafts made from repurposed goods, per a separate Republic report on the 2025 event's winners.
This year's show is sponsored by the Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District, Columbus Landmark Foundation, Columbus Office of Downtown Development, First Financial Bank, Kroot Corporation and Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center. Additional support comes from Hotel Indigo, Lucabe Coffee Co. and Viewpoint Books, while the Columbus Area Visitors Center provided a grant for the show, according to The Republic.
