The latest AAP NYC blog post is by Fabia St-Juste, a Junior in the B.F.A. program, studying in New York City for the Spring 2023 semester. In this article, Fabia shares excerpts from an interview with Denise Flynch, Volunteer Coordinator of Materials for the Arts. Fabia also outlines Materials for the Arts as an opportunity for students to be involved through volunteering or participating in community events.
At the end of each semester at Cornell AAP, there’s a large volume of material waste. Once treasured projects are often abandoned and given one-way tickets to the landfill. Students who are overwhelmed with storage issues and need a quick solution before heading home for the break often have no choice but to throw out dozens of supplies. Could there be a solution to this problem? In New York City, one organization accepts supply donations and upcycles them to non-profit organizations and select institutions, such as schools. These organizations often have sponsored artists that then use these recycled items to create new works of art. The best part is that these items are given away for free! What is this amazing place you ask? Well, this is Materials for the Arts (MFTA), located in Long Island City.
I interviewed Denise Flynch, Volunteer Coordinator at MFTA, to learn more about the organization and get insight on how students might be able to get involved. Flynch, who is also an artist, revealed her passion for her role in Materials for the Arts and how well the organization aligns with her personal interest and journey in the arts:
FSJ: So the first question is about your background as an artist. Could you tell me more about how you became a Volunteer Coordinator for Materials for the Arts and what it means to be working here as an artist?
DF: Okay, I’ll start with the second part first. To me, working as an artist here means that I get to help other artists, which I love. I also love being able to recycle things and keep them out of the garbage, and what better way to do that than to have artists create things out of recycled materials? So I think that working here as an artist is all about helping other artists reduce the amount of waste that goes into creating. That’s what I like about it.
Now, as for my background as an artist, I just love making art– whether it’s painting, crafting, drawing, or turning something old into something prettier by adding color or covering it in pink. I’ve been doing that kind of stuff since I was a kid, and it just never stopped.
As a Volunteer Coordinator, Flynch serves at the forefront of a crucial aspect of Materials for the Arts. Each week the organization receives a ton of supplies, and its warehouse serves as both a storage and “shopping” center for individuals that have access to collect and use these donations. But before anyone can experience the exciting rush of grabbing freebies for their next creative endeavor, there’s one daunting task that needs to be done: sorting and organizing the donations.
FSJ: So, what kind of obstacles do you face as a Volunteer Coordinator?
DF: So, my biggest thing is that sometimes–there’s a lot going on! […] Sometimes I’ll have three different groups of people that I need to give instructions to and individual volunteers at the same time. I just make sure to give the instruction well the first time.[…] Also, managing everybody who works here, like what they want out of the warehouse. Even though I might want all of the fabric done now, there’ll be other stuff that needs to be done that other people like to do [instead].
Here Denise is referring to the many categories that donations are sorted into. One of the largest (and most challenging to manage) is fabric. For people that work with textiles, you’ll find fabrics by the bolt, small sample-size cloth, and even wearable garments. So, you can only imagine the time and effort it takes to sort these out into a reasonable system. And that’s just one category! You can also find frames, electronics, books, buttons and beads, paint, and much more!
It’s also not a rare occurrence for there to be very niche or odd supplies such as–a pile of pink velour or a ginormous lemon sculpture. Regardless, volunteers play a huge role in organizing the warehouse and ensuring that materials are easily accessible to those that need them.
But Materials for the Arts is much more than a creative reuse facility. It is also an educational facility that promotes arts and cultural programming. The MFTA Education Center provides critical workshops and classes focusing on creative reuse. MFTA hosts these opportunities in classrooms and gives participants access to crafting art with easily available materials from their warehouse inventory.
MFTA also organizes shows at the MFTA Gallery and sends teaching artists into the community to impart the art of reuse. MFTA also offers studio-style Professional Development courses and seminars to artists and other professionals. So, for an artist, volunteering at Materials for the Arts is not only a rewarding experience to give back to the community, but it is also a terrific method to connect with other artists.
I’ve personally enjoyed the benefits of having access to a space like Materials for the Arts. Firstly, it’s where I got to connect with Denise Flynch, and got the chance to interview her. It was amazing to get insight from an artist on how she navigates creating art and working at an arts organization. I got to volunteer and get familiar with the warehouse and all the types of materials that are inside. But the best part? I was able to get a sewing machine and two dress forms!
But don’t just take my word for how awesome this place is. For current and future AAP NYC students, get in touch with AAP NYC administrators to work out an arrangement to volunteer or connect with MFTA. Meanwhile, feel free to visit the Materials for the Arts website to see how you can participate in other events. So, please get active and get involved!