Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Weaver.
Hi Rachel, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a writer, mixed media artist, creative collaborator, and community organizer with a passion for environmental issues, sustainability, and creative community building. I believe supporting creative communities nurtures my own creativity.
For as long as I considered professional careers, I knew I wanted to make a positive environmental impact through my work. During my Master’s studies in philosophy and environmental science at the University of North Texas, I knew it was important to work outside and be in nature while also studying all the readings and writings of environmental philosophy. I participated in study abroad courses to Chile that allowed me to learn and interconnect my interests in art, community, ecology, and cultivating our environmental imagination. I volunteered and eventually became a staff member, at a local sustainable farm in Denton. I also used my degree to teach introductory philosophy at Tarrant County College. I started working at Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center in Denton, managing the sustainable garden and helping with educational field trips and hikes. These early and post-grad experiences shaped my pathway towards other projects. I would research food and community issues related to local food systems, or study educational programs at nature centers. I loved researching ways to improve programs and investigating specific issues in order to understand complex concepts in environmental issues.
Eventually, I moved on and started working with the Denton Community Market. This combined a lot of my interests while giving me a really good understanding of how small and medium nonprofit organizations work. There are so many hats worn by everyone in nonprofits – in my experience, you likely have 3 jobs under your job title ‘umbrella’. I worked as Vendor Coordinator and managed many of the weekly operations of the art and farmers market while getting to know hundreds of vendors, community members, farmers, artists, and makers.
Where I am Today:
I have always been a fan and advocate for the sustainability and creativity found at SCRAP Creative Reuse – it combines my loves of art, environmental sustainability, education, and community building. Our mission is to inspire creative reuse and environmentally sustainable behavior by providing educational programs and affordable materials to the community.
I started working with SCRAP Denton in June 2019 when I was hired as Director of the North Texas creative reuse center. I loved our SCRAP Denton family, the history of creative reuse in Denton, and all the joy creative reuse brought to so many. Sadly, in June 2020, we had to close SCRAP Denton due to the impacts of Covid and not getting any breaks on our rent. We sold/gave back everything to the local community.
In October 2020, I was invited back to the national organization part-time as Virtual Education Coordinator to figure out ways to get our education programming online as digital programming. In January 2021, I was promoted to Education Director (& interim Operations Director); and in April 2021 our Operations Director came into their role and I am now more focused on my responsibilities as Education Director. I lead and manage our organization education programming at sites in other communities and online. I oversee programmatic growth, as well as help with grant writing, marketing, and nonprofit administration for the national organization.
I currently work remotely, out of what I call “the tiniest creative reuse studio in Texas” – in my lil’ office at Stoke Coworking in Denton, where I manage programs, host workshops, and connect and collaborate with other creative reuse advocates throughout Texas and the United States.
I also freelance as a writer, content manager, and virtual assistant. I mostly work with artists, educators, and small businesses in North Texas. I provide copywriting services, website assistance and management, and press releases and pitches for creative endeavors and startups.
Outside of full-time work, my community passions also foster my art practice. I am a musician, artists, and radio producer. As an artist and musician, I create ambient soundscapes and zines (mini-magazines) exploring our environmental imagination. I am an artists’ collaborator with Spiderweb Salon artist collective. I am also a volunteer radio producer and Board Member at KUZU Community Radio in Denton. My show, IN FORMED Radio, broadcasts nonfiction, fiction, and mindfulness shows. I am also founder and coordinator of Denton Zine & Art Party – where we host annual events that showcase zines, art, and DIY makers in North Texas.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I am grateful for the path I’ve been able to follow, and I’ve learned a lot in living through the stressful times. At the Community Market, I had to be mindful of vendor interactions – they are passionate about their small businesses, their livelihoods, and their products. My role was to navigate between those vendor desires, and the responsibilities our organization has to the community and public. Balancing those varying interests caused some stresses during that job. Working for a nonprofit, in general, can be stressful, as we try to do so much fueled by passion but with lean budgets.
My biggest work struggle so far was the closure of SCRAP Denton in 2020 due to Covid. That was a difficult decision, a difficult closure, and everyone that was a part of that project experienced a lot of grief at its loss. Pile that on top of the national and international issues we all have been dealing with the last 2 years, and it has taken us all time to recover. I had a gap of employment where I didn’t know what was coming next, and coming back to the national organization at SCRAP has also been with plenty of obstacles. Our organization had to pivot like so many others, and adapt to digital content and online opportunities. It has still been a slow growth to find ways to make our opportunities and programs available while society continues to rebuild and adapt.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m lucky that I can combine my passions and creativity in the work I do with SCRAP Creative Reuse. And these same passions fuel my community art practice and involvement.
I have curated and performed Mixed Media Performance Art showcases at Denton Zine & Art Party, Dallas contemporary museum, Dallas Museum of Art, University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University, Denton-Dallas-Ft. Worth galleries and venues. Recently, Building Futures: Panel Discussion – the Dallas contemporary museum – 2020, Machine Planet: collaborative audiovisual immersive experience – the Dallas contemporary museum – 2019, artist in the Spiderweb Salon Dallas Museum of Art C3 Exhibition – 2019.
I’m really proud of the work I do with Denton Zine & Art Party. This event came because I love zines and wanted to see them showcased in my community. After our recent event in October at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, it was great to see the amazing variety of artists, makers, zine-enthusiasts, and community members that were also inspired by the same things that I love about zines – their DIY attitude, the endless creativity, and the sharing with community.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the art and food communities of our city. We like to travel to try interesting restaurants with vegan, vegetarian, and vegetarian-friendly food options. We’re more pescatarian/ eat fish and seafood, but we always like to try interesting vegan and vegetarian foods, and I feel like we have seen a lot more variety and options in the last decade.
And I really love our art and music community, especially the counter-culture, DIY, and less mainstream events. There is so much unique art and music around us – experimental, improvisational, electronic, performance art, mixed-media, and so many interesting ways that people in our community combine their skills and interests. I have seen more interesting and internationally renowned music in the experimental music scene and DIY venues than I could ever see at a big venue or festival.
I think I dislike the distance between cities most. Things are so spread out, and even driving when traffic is low can take a long time.
Contact Info:
- Email: rachel.w@scrapcreativereuse.org
- Website: https://scrapcreativereuse.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scrap.creative.reuse/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scrapcreativereuse
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSksmuVeA2AfJN5tMJ4OB0Q
- Other: https://www.weaverswriting.com/
Image Credits:
Ellie Alonzo
