At Brooklyn Creative Reuse, Art Supplies Get a Second Life

"Somehow, somewhere, exists a place in New York City where one can buy a medium-sized pad of Yupo paper, a set of unopened Sennelier oil sticks, oodles of embroidery floss, and a mix-and-match encaustic paint set for under $20. That place is called Brooklyn Creative Reuse (BCR), and it recently opened its physical location in Industry City."

"Created by jeweler and reuse enthusiast Stephanie O'Brien, BCR emerged as a pop-up events initiative in February 2025, working to sustainably divert used art supplies from landfills by cycling them back into new hands at an affordable price. The organization opened its brick-and-mortar location in Building 2 earlier this month, coming in as a small but mighty replacement to Artist and Craftsman, which recently closed its short-lived location on the campus on April 12."

"To celebrate its new physical space, BCR hosted a launch party on April 18, inviting the public to add to, peruse, and purchase from its donated inventory of pre-loved and unused art supplies across most media. Categorized by art form, the second-hand materials are primarily sold at a modest price-per-pound rate, making them more accessible for low-income artists, devoted educators, and people looking to try a new medium without a major financial commitment."

"O'Brien told Hyperallergic in an email that the price-per-pound philosophy helps get product out on the floor faster when BCR is receiving up to 300 pounds of material a month - a"

Brooklyn Creative Reuse opened a physical location in Industry City to sell donated and unused art supplies at affordable prices. The organization began as a pop-up initiative in February 2025, created by Stephanie O’Brien, with the goal of diverting used art materials from landfills and returning them to new users. A launch party on April 18 invited the public to browse and purchase from a donated inventory covering many art media. Supplies are organized by art form and are primarily priced per pound, which lowers costs for low-income artists, educators, and people who want to try new mediums without large financial commitments. The store receives up to 300 pounds of materials monthly, and the pricing approach helps move inventory onto the floor quickly.

Read at Hyperallergic