How to Reduce Waste and Donate Responsibly, for the South Shore and beyond!
Whether you are stocking up for back to school, trying out a new medium, or cleaning out your studio, The Spare Studio has you covered! This summer we had the opportunity to visit The Spare Studio, a new creative reuse spot on the South Shore located in the Wright Building in Rockland.
https://www.thesparestudio.com/
A Conversation with Zarla of the Spare Studio
What made you start the Spare Studio?
Initially it was because there were no art supply stores on the South Shore. Michael’s is very limited and does not have a great selection of fine arts materials so the choices were either shipping or going into Boston. So I wanted to open a ‘traditional’ art supply store, but to focus on open stock, to encourage mindful purchasing and make it more sustainable. (Open stock is the ability to buy products individually, as opposed to in a kit or package, for example a singular colored pencil). Financially, that concept was cost prohibitive.
At the same time, I learned about Maker Spaces and had recently visited the one at the Portland Children's Museum. (side note: It’s awesome if you ever find yourself in Portland, Maine) and about the concept of Creative Reuse Centers.
After some informational interviews, and the pros and cons of various models, I decided to pursue a second-hand art supply store with a for-profit model.
What is your artistic medium?
I am a dormant artist, but I’ve also been an art facilitator and a design facilitator, I currently work in product development and design strategy. While I don’t personally create the designs, it’s a very creative line of work that involves moderating discussions between customers and designers and creating stories and narratives: what problems are we trying to solve? What jobs do our products and services offer people, etc.
I also take classes at the Academy of Realistic Art in Boston. (I think this makes you a non- dormant artist, Zarla!) I am currently working in pencil on a tortoise named Jonathan, the oldest living land animal. It's moving about as slow as Jonathan moves. Sometimes I work in water color or pen and ink, but it’s primarily graphite because it’s clean and fast to setup and walk away from.
What is your favorite reuse or project to date?
I had the opportunity to facilitate a few art workshops at the Art of Inclusion Gala hosted by South Shore Support Services, an organization that helps adults with developmental disabilities with various opportunities.
Hart Supply in Hingham had donated a bunch of off cuts of sintra board, a lightweight rigid board made of PVC. After putting black gesso on it, the artists went over it with oil pastel, and Frame Center generously framed it. It's a very dramatic large piece, it was easy and fun and putting oil pastels on that smooth surface is very satisfying. While sintra isn’t usually used for this purpose, it’s an adequate surface, and it's a piece of plastic not in the dumpster.
Have you had any unexpected surprises?
I’ve loved meeting all the artists and making relationships.
Outside of the space, you can also catch “the wall of stuff,” bobs and bits of things that found their way into donation bags. But what's probably the most fascinating or unexpected, has been learning all the brand history. On a shelf sits various sorted bins of oil paints. These are oil paints. I didn’t know that Liquitex made oil paints in the 1970s and 1980s. (They are best known for their acrylics). I also have a set of oils from the 1930s that were only produced for a few years. It’s fascinating that people have these antique vintage paints. Why oil paint (asks the non painter)? Oil painting is very demanding on space and the amount of stuff that is required. And they last forever.
Zarla, thank you so much for letting us pick your brain, and for bringing such a great little concept and spot to the South Shore. We are so lucky to have you here. How can I help? Donate your art supplies to a new home and grab something new! (Back to school supplies? They’ve got plenty!)
My son and I went home with some new to us paint by sticker books, which have kept us busy, and a color your own sticker book.
Coming soon to the Spare Studio is the Maker Space! AND the 143 Exchange is just down the short hallway!
Not Local?
Do you have a creative reuse center near you? Let us know! When I was student teaching in college, I used to go to the SHAREcenter in Auburn, Maine. It is a gold mine! (and definitely seems a lot more substantial then it was 15+ years ago!) Austin Creative Reuse keeps a good list of National Centers. Check out their highlight “Other Centers” on their Instagram
And little bit about donating your unwanted goods….Although it can be a bit of a PITA….if you can, when donating things it is best to donate to them to a specific organization i.e. art supplies to the spare studio versus savers or bikes to a bike specific organization, unusable textiles to textile recycling….unfortunately a lot of donations can end up in the trash. And while I was unable to find estimates for donation shops in general, it is estimated that 85% of your clothing donations ....end up in the trash (14% resold, 14% sold overseas, and 85% the incinerator). A great read from our friends at Me Mother Earth.