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App State’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts creates Little Free Art Pantry

View larger image

Pictured here are free bundles of art supplies available in the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts’ Little Free Art Pantry. Each bundle is themed and includes instructions. Themes include “Paint Night,” “Watercolor,” “Visual Journaling” and “Collage.” Photo by Shauna Caldwell

Editor’s Note: Since this story was published, Gov. Roy Cooper issued a stay-at-home order and as a result the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (TCVA) staff is no longer able to stock the Little Free Art Pantry. After giving away more than 100 art bundles, journals and materials through the pantry, the TCVA staff now continues its community engagement by offering "Visual Journaling" and" Blazing Easels" workshops online via the center's Facebook page.

By Megan Bruffy
Posted March 30, 2020 at 4:44 p.m.
Last updated April 8, 2020 at 4:10 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (TCVA) recently created a Little Free Art Pantry with free art supply bundles for the community. The art pantry is located near TCVA’s front entrance, in a large metal cabinet. To date, 30 bundles have been taken and another 50 bundles are ready to be placed in the pantry.

Christy Chenausky and Shauna Caldwell, director and assistant director, respectively, of arts education and outreach at TCVA, developed the idea as a twist on the national Little Free Library movement — a book-sharing initiative in which community members build enclosed bookcases filled with free books in public and residential spaces.

Chenausky and Caldwell gathered gently used materials, including paint, brushes, canvases, glue and journals, and created themed bundles with instructions for use. The themes — which include “Paint Night,” “Watercolor,” “Visual Journaling” and “Collage” — are modeled after the workshop series TCVA typically offers each semester to Appalachian students and community members.

View larger image

Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (TCVA) created a Little Free Art Pantry, pictured here, located near TCVA’s front entrance. To date, community members have taken 30 art bundles from the pantry. Photo by Shauna Caldwell

View larger image

The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts’ Little Free Art Pantry, pictured here, features free bundles of art supplies for the community. To address sanitation concerns related to COVID-19, the pantry includes disposable gloves and disinfectant, pictured on the top shelf, to allow patrons to clean the bundles before taking them. The bundles do not have to be returned. Photo by Shauna Caldwell

The bundles do not have to be returned. To address sanitation concerns related to COVID-19, the pantry includes disposable gloves and disinfectant to allow patrons to clean the bundles before they take them, and the pantry itself is regularly sanitized and re-stocked.

Editor’s Note: Since this story was published, Gov. Roy Cooper issued a stay-at-home order and as a result the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (TCVA) staff is no longer able to stock the Little Free Art Pantry. After giving away more than 100 art bundles, journals and materials through the pantry, the TCVA staff now continues its community engagement by offering "Visual Journaling" and" Blazing Easels" workshops online via the center's Facebook page.

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Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts

The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts at Appalachian State University engages visitors from the university, community, nation and beyond in creating unique experiences through dynamic and accessible exhibition, education, outreach and collection programs. These programs inspire and support a lifelong engagement with the visual arts and create opportunities for participants to learn more about themselves and the world around them.

Learn more
Mountaineers moving mountains
Mountaineers moving mountains

Appalachian State University’s faculty and staff are transitioning events and experiences to online platforms and developing new ways for Mountaineers to connect.

Learn more

About the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts

Located on 423 W. King St. at the crossroads of campus and community, the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts at Appalachian State University engages visitors in dynamic and accessible exhibition, education, outreach and collection programs. These programs inspire and support a lifelong engagement with the visual arts and create opportunities for participants to learn more about themselves and the world around them. Learn more at https://tcva.appstate.edu/about/visit.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

Editor’s Note: Since this story was published, Gov. Roy Cooper issued a stay-at-home order and as a result the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (TCVA) staff is no longer able to stock the Little Free Art Pantry. After giving away more than 100 art bundles, journals and materials through the pantry, the TCVA staff now continues its community engagement by offering "Visual Journaling" and" Blazing Easels" workshops online via the center's Facebook page.

Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts

The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts at Appalachian State University engages visitors from the university, community, nation and beyond in creating unique experiences through dynamic and accessible exhibition, education, outreach and collection programs. These programs inspire and support a lifelong engagement with the visual arts and create opportunities for participants to learn more about themselves and the world around them.

Learn more
Mountaineers moving mountains
Mountaineers moving mountains

Appalachian State University’s faculty and staff are transitioning events and experiences to online platforms and developing new ways for Mountaineers to connect.

Learn more

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

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Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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