Western North Carolina is home to incredible artists, musicians, and storytellers!
Creative Reuse in Western North Carolina: Asheville and Brevard
The concept of creative reuse stores is fairly new to me. Last summer, I was at the Swannanoa Market and saw a colorful table labeled ReMix It covered in fabric, popsicle sticks, odds and ends, and lots of glue guns. Within seconds, my kids were gathered round the table each with a glue gun in hand (their first time using them) and making houses out of scraps. A few weeks went by and we were at a market at ArtSpace in Swannanoa and who was there? ReMix It!
I learned that ReMix It was a non-profit creative reuse store — basically, a thrift store for art supplies. At the time, they were still in the process of trying to open a storefront (they’re now open in West Asheville). ReMix It was doing the market circuit to provide free fun crafts for all ages and to tell people about their mission to create a space that is dedicated to “inspiring creativity, reducing waste, and building community through access to affordable, reclaimed art and craft materials. [They] transform discarded materials into creative opportunities, supporting environmental sustainability and hands-on expression for all ages.”
In the last year, ReMix It has become a regular part of our lives. My family had so much fun at a huge fundraiser they held last year where each participant decorated a fabric square. The squares were then sewn live to create the world’s largest fabric snake. The snake is now in their store and we all get a kick out of looking for our square on the wall. I have also noticed my own habits around reuse change. When once I may have thrown away the plastic layer in a new picture frame, I now tuck it into the closet to use as a palette for ink. My kids, too, look for opportunities to reuse items around the house to make arts and crafts. Over the summer, the kids attended an art camp where most of the supplies were purchased at ReMix It.
Now, the storefront is open! It’s a wonder of arts and crafts supplies in a large space. They have a classroom that can be used for open craft sessions and for formal classes. (I took a printmaking class there last week and had a blast.) Click the video below to see a full tour of the space. AND, I’m excited to report than another creative reuse store is opening today, in Brevard, North Carolina.
Sunshine Creative Reuse is a similar model, a non-profit creative reuse store in downtown Brevard that will also sell arts and craft supplies, take donations, host classes, etc. I happened to be going to Brevard this week and I asked if I could swing by for a sneak peek. Check out the following video and in a couple of hours, the doors will be open!
Congratulations to both ReMix It and Sunshine Creative Reuse, our community is better off for your vision. I can’t wait to see them both grow in the years to come. Are there other creative reuse stores in WNC? Let me know in the comments!
One response to “Creative Reuse in Western North Carolina: Asheville and Brevard”
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Eee! So exciting! We are passionate about reuse and love to read how having it locally has brought new ideas to your family!
Sign Up: Field Trip to Conspire Studio, Let’s Create Together on September 4, 2026
On Friday, September 4, 2026 from 10 AM-12 PM, join me on a field trip to Conspire Studio in Asheville! I am collaborating with Dani and Kim to offer this session for free, they are “artists, facilitators and coaches who believe that creativity is a core part of crafting resilient and attuned lives, especially in these difficult times”.
In their Asheville studio, we’ll spend some time getting to know one another and then make art focused around the theme of community. There is no experience required to participate. Only ten spaces for this field trip, make sure to snag your spot!
Please use the form at the bottom of this page to sign up – we will use this information to communicate and prepare materials.
What to Expect
For the first 30 minutes, we will meet up as a group to get to know each other (led by Runda) and then we’ll spend 90 minutes creating with Dani and Kim!
*This Field Trip is Full. Email runda@rundainwnc.com to get on the waitlist.*
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Erased Movie Premiere in Asheville on August 29th – Join Me!
It’s only one month until Erased, a locally produced feature film, premieres right here in Asheville, North Carolina, at the Diana Wortham Center for Performing Arts. Director Missy Bell reached out to me earlier this month to share about the film and invite me to come out to opening night – I hope you’ll join me. We’re in for a fun-filled evening that includes meeting the cast and crew, special ice cream from The Hop, live performances, and more!
About the film
“Erased is both a one-crazy-night film and a grown-up coming of age story that follows Evan, a thirty-something business man about to make the deal that will give him everything he’s ever wanted, until he is confronted by Tristan, the now 18 year old son he chose to abandon at birth.
This event is the premiere of the film, but it’s also so much more: We’ll have a live music performance by our composer and another by the band that recorded the closing credits song. We’ll have a short speech by the director of the film, and we’ll have a reception afterwards during which you can meet the actors, get merchandise signed, and mingle with the many people it takes to get a feature film made. Most of all, this event is a celebration of resilience and hope, both for the characters in the film and the Asheville audience viewing it; Erased was produced here just 54 days after Helene.
Get your tickets now to see the film that an early access reviewer said is: “tender, funny, mysterious, and leaves the viewer with curiosities, rounding out an excellent cinematic experience.”
The film is for mature audiences (language, description of sexual violence).”
For a limited time, you can also get a special Erased movie-themed latte at Earthling Coffee! It’s called the Galaxy Bee and comes with an invitation to the premiere (or just click that button above). I went through the drive-through at the Patton Avenue location in Asheville today to try it for myself. Yum!
sneak peek
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Spring Market Day, Poetry Reading, and Making Time for My Voice
I have no business making several TikToks a day, writing blog articles, carving out time to visit new fun spots in Western North Carolina, or writing poetry in my notes app and revising and revising. I already have a busy and full life of family and work that is meaningful. And yet, this season I have felt called to create and connect. There is something about the joy I am experiencing from meeting new people in my community, writing new poems, taking an art class, etc. that is keeping me grounded and rediscovering my own voice within the busy busy days.
In the next two weeks, I’m taking advantage of two opportunities to be out in the community and creating. These are opportunities to expand beyond my online world and the occasional coffee meetings with strangers (aka neighbors I hadn’t met yet). I hope to see you in-person!
@rundainwnc Join me at two upcoming community events: 1. I’m hosting a FREE all ages craft (we’re making recycled paper flowers!) Saturday, April 18 from 9-3 @ the Vessels Spring Market at Short Sleeves in Swannanoa. Specifically, I’ll be set up in front of Mountain Cycle Works next door 2. I’m reading a new poem “Foundations of Bricks and Roots” at the Swannanoa Artists’ Collective opening reception – Friday, April 24 at 6 PM at 216 Whitson Ave. The poem and artwork by amazing local folks will be on display the 25th-26th. Hope to see you! đź©· -Runda (in WNC) #swannanoa #blackmountain #asheville #828isgreat #westernnorthcarolina ♬ original sound – Runda in WNC
VESSELS Spring Market @ Short Sleeves Coffee in Swannanoa, NC | Saturday, April 18, 2026 | 9AM-3PM
Last winter, my daughters saw a sign up in Short Sleeves Coffee in Swannanoa advertising their first ever vendor market and sharing that applications were open. The kids were thrilled and asked if they could apply to be vendors as they considered themselves the “kid art factory” at home. They were accepted and one of few kids running booths at the market, they made $100 (which felt like one million) and we had a wonderful albeit cold day.
When it came time for the next market set for this Saturday, I had an idea – “Why don’t I apply to have a table?” I dabble in all types of arts and crafts, but not to a level in which I could sell items. But, I am at my core a teacher and so I reached out asking whether I could host an all ages craft for free. To my delight, the team was just as excited as I was.
I really believe in making space and opportunity for folks of all backgrounds to enjoy community time together. Absolutely patron the small businesses and artists if you can! Also, it feels good to offer folks a reason to come by without any economic pressure. Let’s just exist together and create something beautiful.
The VESSELS Spring Market is this Saturday, April 18th from 9AM-3PM and will be set up mostly in front of Short Sleeves Coffee in Swannanoa but also spilling over into the front area of Mountain Cycle Works. At my table, I’ll have all the materials necessary to create flowers out of recycled paper. My table will be directly in front of Mountain Cycle Works and it’s totally free!
Swannanoa Artists’ Collective Poetry Reading “Foundations of Bricks and Roots” | Friday, April 24, 2026 6 PM (Opening Reception) | April 25-26 Open Gallery
The very next week, I will be reading a new poem called “Foundations of Bricks and Roots” at a Swannanoa Artists’ Collective show. You can hear me read at the opening reception on Friday, April 24th at 6 PM at 216 Whitson Avenue in Swannanoa. The poem will also be on display along with other works of art and literature by many talented artists for the weekend. The theme of the show is “Rebirth.”
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Lauren Younis (A Quartzy Life)
Have you ever gone up to a booth at an art market and thought to yourself, “I want one of everything?” That’s how I feel about Lauren Younis’ art. I first stumbled onto her Instagram in the early days of 2020 when I was teaching from home while caring for two young kids. My school had gone virtual and I was working on taking one of our bedrooms and turning into the semblance of an office since there was no clear end time for when schools would be back in session in-person.
I fell in love with a piece of art on Instagram and bought it for my office! It was my first local art purchase ever and became the background of many profile pictures for the next year.
You can only see the canvas a little in the background of this photo to the right! It’s in storage post-hurricane moving and craziness, but I’ll update this post when it’s back up in its rightful place on the wall.
I ran into Lauren at the Black Mountain Tailgate Market and bought a bunch of water bottle stickers recently. It was so fun to reconnect! You can check out her Etsy shop and follow at the social links below.
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Maryanne Pappano Fine Art (MAPFineArt)
Maryanne Pappano is an Asheville-based artist that I connected with over TikTok. I love her creative use of maps at the center of her art. It took me too long to realize that MAP is also her initials – love it! The photo gallery below shows some of her recent work (credit to Maryanne for sending me the photos). You can find her art for sale in the restaurant Homegrown in North Asheville or connect with her on social media:
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