How this PA man converts Lake Erie trash into an artist’s masterpiece

You never know what you are going to find when walking along the shores of Lake Erie. Some people find beach glass and some do their part to beautify beaches by picking up litter.

North East resident and Erie native Douglas Bailey and his wife, Amy Bailey, have been walking the shorelines of Lake Erie in the Harborcreek and North East areas and removing trash for more than five years.

In their travels they have come across lots of interesting items that have washed up on shore. Those items include toy dinosaurs, golf balls, lighters, sunglasses and other littered objects.

“We always bring a trash bag with us to pick up litter whenever we visit the lake,” Douglas Bailey said.

That’s when Bailey, who works for the North East School District’s IT Department, got an idea for an art piece.

Turning lake trash into ‘Lake Erie Leftovers’

From all his findings, Douglas Bailey, a self-taught artist since 2016-2017, spent two months in late 2025 creating a 22-inch-by-37-inch framed art piece which he calls “Lake Erie Leftovers.”

Bailey picked the frame out from a local thrift store in North East for only a dollar. After puzzling all the pieces together in the frame, he used acrylic spray paint to give the piece a neat finish.

“Unfortunately, my supplies kept getting replenished with each storm,” Bailey said.

The way Bailey describes this piece is like a “big game of seek-and-find.”

“There are so many pieces tucked in and nesting inside each other,” Bailey said. “It’s easy to get lost just trying to spot familiar objects.”

What draws his attention to the piece is the golf club head, the octopus and the toy engine.

“Maybe the octopus, it’s definitely the main focal point,” Bailey said. “But that toy engine? It’s not something you see every day, either.”

Where can you find the ‘Lake Erie Leftovers’ piece in Erie?

Anyone interested in viewing Bailey’s creation can find it at the Hidden Creeks Project, an art show at the CLEER Center at the Blasco Library at 160 E. Front St. starting on Feb. 1, 2026.

Bailey noted that if any environmental groups, schools, or art organizations are interested in showcasing this piece, he’s open to the idea.

“It’s available to display at no cost, so feel free to reach out,” Bailey said.

Bailey can be reached on social media accounts at @Bailey814.

Another project in the making

The “Lake Erie Leftovers” piece is not the final piece for Bailey. He told the Erie Times-News that he is currently creating a 3-foot-by-5-foot piece focused on hidden treasures in the lake.

“I’ve been lucky to hear from folks all across the Erie area who are excited to contribute some of their own special finds for the next one,” Bailey said.