NORTHBRIDGE — Not since “Gulliver’s Travels” pitted the seemingly giant Englishman against the almost invisibly tiny Lilliputians has there been anything as oversized as the art objects in an upcoming exhibition Feb. 5 at the Spaulding R. Aldrich Heritage Gallery at Alternatives’ Whitin Mill.

From an enormous M&M to the passion of artists for their craft, participants in Alternatives’ Arts and Culture Program have been living large.

Alternatives’ Art & Culture Program provides opportunities for persons with disabilities to make connections they might not otherwise make. Through inclusive activities ranging from photography, fine art and jewelry making to dance, music and white-water rafting, the Arts and Culture Program has significantly increased community collaborations for individuals who participate.

The magnification project is just one of the activities of Alternatives’ Art and Culture Program. The Art Exploration Workshop was developed in conjunction with Creative Communications Art Studio of Leicester. Owner/Instructor Monique Pappas has guided participants through fun and unique uses of a variety of mediums for the past three years.

The sculptural portion of the exhibit emerged from much planning and collaboration among workshop participants. Unexpected financial restrictions stimulated increased conservation of materials gathered from recycling centers, donations from community members and local companies, and leftover supplies from previous projects. The group truly followed the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” paradigm. Some 95 percent of the materials used to create these objects were recycled, reused or donated.

Adopting this focused approach, participants were asked to choose an item they could magnify. Large objects in the real world were ruled out. The closed fist of each participant became the sign of whether or not an object could be scaled upward.

The results are not only fun, but also thought provoking. They are certainly one way to magnify phenomena. Another is to encapsulate our life’s passions through the more traditional means of photography, painting or a craft like jewelry- making. Although the scale of the objects may be very different, the extent of their significance within each individual’s life is the same.

The exhibit opens with an artists’ reception from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5. The public is invited. Life Magnified continues through March 28 at the Aldrich Heritage Gallery at Alternatives’ Whitin Mill, 50 Douglas Road, Whitinsville. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Night and weekend viewing is by appointment. For information, call (508) 266-6502.