After years of working as an art teacher in schools with minimal supplies and budgets, Sherrie Zeitlin decided to take a stand and do something about it herself. Zeitlin decided to open the Art Resource Center (ARC) to help those in desperate need of art supplies. ARC collects reusable supplies and offers them free of charge to schools and other nonprofit entities for the purpose of making art. Local individuals and industries donate all of the supplies ARC gives out to its customers.
Sherrie Zeitlin, Executive Director of ARC
“In 2004 I opened ARC in a 480 square foot space,” Zeitlin said. “We later expanded to 900 square feet and then to our current space with 4,000 square feet of space. We needed to expand in order to keep up with our customers’ needs.”
Zeitlin has always been actively involved in using recycled material resources. When she was teaching art, she would have her students go home and collect whatever they could to use as art supplies for class. Students would bring back everything from giftwrap and ribbon during the holidays, to neckties and plastic bags.
“I’ll do anything to keep the arts alive,” Zeitlin said.
This motivation and enthusiasm for the arts caught the interest of Couture in the Suburbs. Zeitlin and ARC deserve to be acknowledged for their work in Arizona, and what better way to do that than a feature in Arizona Art Reimagined.
MR: What do you enjoy the most about your work?
SZ: In my personal artwork, I love working with clay. It is very simple. I will continue to work until I can’t anymore. It brings me joy. As for ARC, I enjoy the volunteers I work with, the people I meet, and helping keep the arts afloat in the state of Arizona. I have six very focused and talented volunteers and 20 to 30 more from the local Key Club and high schools in the area. We stay very focused on people who have experience manipulating these materials; people who know how to handle and fold it.
Volunteer at ARC
MR: Do you feel differently today about throwing away things than you did 10 years ago?
SZ: Yes, I feel that I have to collect and give away more and more and more. I do everything I can and take as much as I can that can be useful to others in the art field. It has become intense for me. It makes me crazy seeing all of the stuff that goes into the trash. It is a very simple process and I don’t understand why people haven’t taken it to heart.
MR: Do you think Arizona does a good job at properly recycling materials?
SZ: No! The bill to ban cities from banning plastic grocery bags makes me crazy. I know that nothing is set in stone; everything can be changed with enough power. I am very passionate about recycling.
MR: Can anyone come to ARC for recycled materials?
SZ: Anybody can come into ARC. If they are a private sector, they have to pay us some amount, but non-profits can take all they can take. We do have to draw the line sometimes!
MR: What is the demographic for ARC?
SZ: It’s across the board. We have many people who come from Educare Arizona and Arizona Head Start Association, which both work with underprivileged children. Teachers also come from all over the state, from wealthy to at-risk communities. From all communities I hear that teachers don’t even have budgets anymore, sometimes they are only supplied with $200 for the entire year.
MR: What motivates you to continue your work every day?
SZ: A newly hired teacher walked in to our facility and told us that there was nothing left in her classroom for her when she got there. We ended up filling her entire vehicle with supplies for her classroom. She burst into tears and thanked us. This is the kind of thing that keeps me going; when those people who need us, find us. It is so important.
If you want to donate materials or supplies to ARC, they ask that you schedule an appointment to have your items evaluated and to schedule a delivery time. By donating your discards to ARC you are reducing the waste that goes into our landfills and providing art worthy materials for creative minds across the state.
ARC is located at 1860 W. University Dr. Suite 102 Tempe, AZ.
ARC is open certain hours which can be found on their Facebook page or by appointment.
