Philly Reuses It! - P.A.W. Print - Philadelphia Arts Writers

When it comes to the physical materials of the working artist, the old environmentalist's mantra of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" may be especially relevant. Not every artist can afford new canvasses from Pearl, top-of-the-line instruments, or the materials for building sets and costumes available to even modestly-budgeted productions. A second truism, that necessity is the mother of invention, often comes into play.

Recently arriving on the scene, The Philly Reuses Exchange (www.phillyreuses.com) hopes to facilitate such invention by helping people in the city and the region who need particular items, connect with those seeking to get rid of them. The goal of Philly Reuses is, "to reduce the amount of reusable items entering the waste stream, and to help connect people with things they want or need."

Philly Reuses is essentially an internet bulletin board that allows businesses and individuals to list items they wish to donate, as well as items they are seeking. All transactions and listings are free, and Philly Reuses is responsible only for connecting the parties with each other.

The organization's director, Yvonne Dawson, founded Philly Reuses to fill a need she saw in her community. "I was walking around my neighborhood and saw stuff just sitting on the curb," says Dawson, "and it was really usable, sometimes brand-new." This bothered her all the more when she visited friends who were unable to afford furniture, but who lacked the means of connecting with potential donors.

Dawson launched Philly Reuses with the help of Resources for Human Development, a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization, whose New Beginnings' "incubator program" has helped many fledgling non-profits get their start.

Though the categories of item listings are not narrowly arts-focused, many items benefit artists indirectly, by providing valuable raw materials (such as drywall, glass or fabrics) or allow artists to put more money into their work by providing items such as furniture or small appliances for free.

Besides these more concrete benefits, the listings allow ample space for the artistic experimentation that can begin with a random object: a collage assembled from pages of old children's books, or pieces of found art that use items obtained via the "Miscellaneous" section. Browsing through the items available on the Philly Reuses page reminds one that recycling and reuse, for artists, are not simply matters of economics or conservation, but can be vital pieces of the creative process.

A perfect example can be found in the work of Philadelphia artist Isaiah Zagar, a prominent member of the Creative Artists Resource Project (CARP; www.pleasetake.org), whose slogan is "Recycling for Arts' Sake in the Philadelphia and South Jersey region." Zagar's distinctive mural mosaics feature frenetically colorful tile fragments and shards of broken mirrors, and can be seen most prominently around South Street-most notably the remarkable "Magic Garden" between 10th and 11th, which was a vacant lot until it was adopted by Zagar.

As Dawson is quick to point out, Philly Reuses is in good company among a small but vital group of organizations and resources dedicated to reuse in Philadelphia. This group includes the e-mail list, Freecycle (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phillyfreecycle), as well as the popular section of free items listed on Craig's List (http://philadelphia.craigslist.org) and CARP.

This strong core of like-minded organizations is encouraging to Dawson, and inspires great hopes for the future of reuse projects in the city. "We'd love to see a reuse complex that could include many organizations involved in various aspects of reuse," says Dawson. "There could be an arts scrap center, a furniture bank, a clothing bank, an architectural salvage organization, a bicycle repair shop, a toy library, [and]an educational and community center."

Dawson has a background in the arts, and is enthusiastic about eventually providing job training that emphasizes the use of creativity; for example, in crafting or refurbishing furniture. "We would like to eventually develop further the environmental aspect of reuse," Dawson adds.

However, Dawson says that she sees these goals as long-term, and coming with experience and cooperation among Philadelphia's reuse groups. At this point, she says, Philly Reuses is still in the planning stage, determining the best plan of action for attaining its goals. Under the guidance of Resources for Human Development, Dawson plans to limit the focus of Philly Reuses, at least for the time being. Dawson adds, "We will be focusing more on the aspect of our mission to provide free furnishings to low-income individuals and families. We will primarily be serving recently homeless people that have progressed to finding a home."

Because Reuses' goals aren't quite firmly set yet, Dawson says there isn't yet an opportunity for volunteers. However, she welcomes anyone with a strong interest in Philadelphia's reuse movement to consider joining Philly Reuses' advisory board, and to help craft the future direction of this exciting new project. Check it out on the web, at http://phillyreuses.com.