LEX Center for Creative Reuse founder and director Stacey Stone stays busy processing and organizing heaps of donated arts and craft materials. Photo by Mick Jeffries
Stepping into the LEX Center for Creative Reuse for the first time, I found myself inspired, overwhelmed and delighted all at once. To my right, a candy-colored collection of yarn and fabric remnants. To my left, a box brimming with old photographs and another filled with Kentucky topographic maps. All around, meticulously labeled containers full of tiny treasures awaiting new lives: little plastic people, bottle caps, bits of colored glass, rhinestones, wine corks, ribbon. I’ll stop there because any further attempt to catalog the creative bounty would inevitably fail.
Housed in a historic former stable in Lexington’s NoLi district (between the restaurant Minton’s at 760 and Rock House Brewing), the LEX Center for Creative Reuse is a nonprofit organization that provides the community with affordable materials for art, crafts and “upcycled” projects.
“We give crafting materials a new destiny that doesn’t involve a landfill,” said founder and director Stacey Stone. The center, which sells donated arts and crafts supplies, from craft paper and old magazines to knitting yarn, buttons, mosaic materials and more, opened in August 2022, and as of May 2023, it estimates it has diverted more than 15,500 pounds of material from landfills. Sustainability is only part of its purpose. The center’s primary mission is to cultivate creativity and resourcefulness by providing an array of affordable materials to artists, educators and community members.
In a previous life, Stone developed religious education programming for the Unitarian Universalist Church; like many, she had a post-pandemic revelation that it was time to change course. “I have always loved art,” she said. “In a way, I feel like I’ve been preparing for this my whole life.”
Stone considered several options before choosing her current space, which is located below Luigart Studios, a popular art studio and gallery that features many artists who work with recycled or reclaimed materials. “There are so many artists and creative people in this area, and there weren’t any art stores nearby – it was almost like an art supply desert,” said Stone. “Our sliding-scale prices make it easy to explore creative endeavors without breaking the bank.”
Coming from a family of educators, Stone said she knows firsthand how many teachers fund classroom materials from their own pockets. She is continually connecting with local schools and businesses to match extra materials with areas of need. The center always welcomes contributions, but Stone says it’s best to call or visit first to make sure the donation is a good fit for the center’s current needs.
Young crafters shop for a project they’re working on at the LEX Center for Creative Reuse. Photo by Mick Jeffries
More than 30 volunteers contribute to the organization in various ways, from teaching classes to developing software. Stone proudly showed me an innovative app designed by volunteer B Meade that allows customers to track their spending while selecting materials, which are color-coded according to price. When it’s time to check out, a sliding scale appears on the screen, providing the customer with a price range for their items. For example, a customer can choose to pay anywhere from a nickel to $1 for items with a red sticker, $1 to $3 for an item with orange sticker and so forth.
Events like Bring Your Own Craft Night, held on Wednesdays, workshops, classes and “craft challenges” are open to creative people of all ages and skill levels, but most are geared toward adults.
“There are so many places in Lexington that do children’s art classes really well, so we wanted to offer something different,” Stone explained. The mostly project-based workshops cover a wide range of themes, including Sketchbook Club, Trashion Fashion, Needle Felting, Artist Trading Card Workshop and Introduction to Crochet. Stone and education coordinator Renee Rigdon often come up with projects based on surplus materials, such as Paint It Blue Night after receiving hundreds of bottles of blue paint from a local school. Classes cost from $10 to $30 per person.
The space also acts as a nontraditional art gallery, with works from established and emerging artists on display. The center participates in LexArts’ Gallery Hop events to further its mission of highlighting the artistic potential of reused materials while creating a sense of community and engagement.
This ethos resonates deeply with artists like Michelle Newby Armstrong, who finds joy in transforming discarded objects into stunning works of art. “Using reclaimed materials adds depth and meaning to my work,” she said. “It’s about breathing new life into something forgotten and giving it a second chance.”
Newby Armstrong, an art teacher at Cardinal Valley Elementary, rents studio and gallery space at Luigart Studios and is a frequent patron of the center. She appreciates the “full circle” approach it provides. “As an art teacher, I know that large amounts of art supplies get thrown in the trash due to no other options being available,” she said. “Also, most artists I know like to try out new mediums after awhile. It’s part of the creative process.”
One of her favorite experiences at the center was teaching a mosaic steppingstone workshop. “The center has a limitless supply of mosaic materials,” she said. “It was so fun to dig through glass tiles, ceramic pieces, seashells, old jewelry and other items. During the workshop, I met some new friends and had a great time. It was a fun learning experience.”
By providing affordable materials, fostering artistic exploration, and promoting environmental stewardship, the center empowers individuals to embrace their creativity while making a positive impact on the planet. Stone plans to continue building relationships with community members and working to make art accessible to everyone. “We’re creating a model of what we believe in,” she said. “If you feel like you belong here, then you do.”
Located at 115 Luigart Court, the LEX Center for Creative Reuse is open Thursday-Sunday. Visit www.lexcreativereuse.com for more info.