RISD 2nd Life Gives New Life to Old Art Supplies

I finally made it to RISD 2nd Life a couple of weeks ago.

2ndlife is a non-profit up-cycling materials center run by students of Rhode Island School of Design. They promote sustainability and creativity through the collection and redistribution of art supplies and materials back into the local community.

All are invited to shop from the cheap and well-organized stock of art supplies housed in the storefront shared with Expose, a gallery displaying student work. They sell paint, brushes, paper, fabric, plaster, beads, string, pens, charcoal, markers, wood... You name it, they have it! Well, maybe. They do rely on donations, after all. Still, I would definitely check this place before hitting up Utrecht or the RISD supply store.

While there I spied a table of paint tubes priced from $1 to $5. Most were almost half used, but some looked new.

Paint galore!

I picked up a pair of Tombow markers for $1 each from a cabinet teeming with Sharpies and other drawing instruments. I was a little skeptical, as I had no way of knowing how much ink remained inside them. I've done lots of juicy, colorful drawings with them, so even if they kick the bucket at this point I feel like I've gotten my money's worth. That and the good feeling that comes with keeping useful things out of landfills.

RISD 2nd Life is located at 204 Westminster Street between Dorrance and Eddy Streets in DownCity.

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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