Thrifting usually makes us think of secondhand clothing, housewares, or books. But repurposed art supplies are a less-considered category that also makes a huge impact on waste. Leftover paints, half-used yarn skeins, empty canvases collecting dust — these are just a few trash-to-treasure examples that can be given new life in the hands of artists by trade (or at heart).
Three years ago, Barbara Korein opened Retake Remake, a creative reuse center in Peekskill, and the first of its kind in the region. “I was living in NYC as a retired art teacher, volunteering at a nonprofit that receives donations from art manufacturers or corporate donors and gives free supplies to teachers and nonprofits, but it wasn’t open to the general public,” Korein says. “I later visited a public reuse center in Austin, Texas, and it was another example of how beautiful it is when you see things people no longer want getting to people who need them most.” It inspired her to open her own shop, powered by a team of dedicated volunteers — whom Korein describes as “the heart and soul of the organization.”
Although her main goal was reducing waste by offering thrifted supplies at reduced prices, her shop inadvertently brought together a community of folks from different walks of life with a shared appreciation of creative exploration. “We see artists, crafters, students, and a lot of teachers,” Korein explains. “People often come in to drop off acrylic paint, but then shop around to see what new craft they can try. For a low price you can pick up a sewing pattern, fabric, and a zipper, and try to make a skirt. Someone recently came in and said he never would’ve tried to create a 2×3-foot painting, but we had a canvas for $5.”
Korein’s shop also inspired another sustainably minded entrepreneur, Margo Kingon, who owns Second Wave Supplies in Beacon. Her intimate space opened in November 2024 and sells donated paints, paper, kids’ crafts, textiles, office supplies, and “anything you can get creative with,” she says. “My husband is from Portland, and when we visit, I love going to this shop called SCRAP PDX, which is a warehouse-type space with barrels of random things — zippers, spools, index cards — and I’ve always thought that’s something I’d like to do.” When Retake Remake opened, she realized there was more than one way to go about it. She spoke with Korein, who encouraged her to open her own space.
Kingon made the switch to first-time business owner after 34 years in the film industry, a career that saw no shortage of waste. “The industry’s impact was horrendous,” she says. “All those years of seeing that amount of waste pretty much broke me. I previously thought about starting a company that restored sets and sold them to producers at a reduced rate, but in a way the shop now is a small bit of that work.”
As donated supplies come in, Kingon weighs materials to track the shop’s environmental impact. “To date, we’ve diverted more than 115,000 pounds of usable materials from the landfill,” she says.
Plus, the shop has cultivated a similar community to what Korein sees. “I’ve always bristled at the idea that only people who went through a master’s program are artists. Creativity is something we all have,” Kingon says. “But the cost of new materials can inhibit someone from exploring what they might enjoy, so this offers a low-pressure means for self expression.”
Abstract artist Elizabeth Castagna, a patron of Second Wave Supplies, purchases products for her own work and for classes she teaches. “Their supplies are in such great shape — some are new or practically new,” Castagna says. “Usually for me, a trip to a traditional art supply store is preceded by wondering how much supplies will cost and adjusting my list accordingly, so there’s a freedom and excitement in knowing I don’t have to go through that assessment before buying art supplies. I love experimenting with new materials and I’m freer to do that because the investment is so much less. And vice versa — when I donate supplies, it feels more like an offering than getting rid of something.”
This reciprocity is also found at swaps held at the Howland Public Library in Beacon, which take place every other month. Michelle Rivas, who coordinates these events, notes that not all are arts-related, such as plant swaps or secondhand prom attire, but an art supply swap brought in their largest crowd of about 150 guests. “It’s an extension of what libraries already do,” Rivas says. “Sharing resources with the community is one of the core concepts of what libraries are all about.”
“Life is cyclical and reciprocal,” Castagna adds. “There’s a balance we are responsible for. I feel we’re more in harmony with ourselves, each other, and the natural world when we live in a sustainable way, regenerating and contributing to the natural flow of giving and receiving that’s always happening.”
