Staff Spotlight: Sav Wartenbach
Each month, we highlight one of our incredible staff that makes the magic happen here at Austin Creative Reuse. This month, it’s Processing Reuse Specialist, Sav Wartenbach (they/she)!
Sav is an amazing artist that can oftentimes be found sporting a secret identity via the latest wig that comes through ACR. As a crucial part to the processing team, Sav is primarily found tackling donation mountain with the rest of the goblins that dwell in the caves of Processing. Maybe you'll see them fly past you next time you're in the center! Is it a floating ball of cotton candy? A spooky ghost? Maybe! Or maybe it's just Sav. 😊
While you’re here, but sure to check out Sav’s Silly Art Tutorial!
How did you find Austin Creative Reuse?
I found ACR as a volunteer coordinator for a club in college, actually. The person who directed our volunteer group that day actually became my best friend and roommate months later! [Editor’s note: we LOVE hearing about the different ways ACR brings people together! 🧡]
What’s your favorite part about working at ACR?
I think my coworkers make working at ACR extremely enjoyable. I love talking to my friends there about crazy stuff happening in the store, our current projects, and any going-ons in our lives. Everyone is really genuine, supportive, and silly/goofy. I also love seeing how my coworkers, volunteers, and customers are reusing materials - it is really inspiring and I always leave work with more ideas than I can realistically explore. The creativity at ACR is really amazing!
Are you an artist, crafter, or maker? What mediums do you work with?
Mmmm sorta :) I like to paint with acrylics but I primarily make mixed-media art collages, primarily with paper. I either put a few words on an interesting photo I found at work, or I put as many things as I can on a canvas panel- usually paper, stickers, dry flowers, beads, jewelry findings, and lace and trim. All of my tools and supplies come from ACR and I make what I can with what I find there.
What do you do when you’re not working at ACR?
When I’m not at work I’m either reading, playing a Legend of Zelda game or Stardew Valley, fiddling with paper, hanging out with my roommate and our 4 cats, or on facetime with my brother. Depending on the season, I’m out wandering the hiking trails too. I also like to do research and add on to my thesis from college called “Shifting Values: Sustainability and Ethical Economic; Reviewing Practices and Theories on Achieving Sustainability”.
What’s the craziest thing you found in donation mountain?
Oh man, whatever it was, I probably locked it away in my memories to be forgotten. This week I found literal poison 🤡 (it was a sodium compound labeled just POISON, among a few other compounds).
About Sav:
Sav grew up in Houston in an animal loving and animal rescuing household. She was inspired (and slightly intimidated) by her brother's creativity and natural artistic inclinations and has begun exploring her creative side much more in recent years. As a kid, they enjoyed being outside and exploring the greenbelts of Houston and the wilderness of Jasper (which was also where she started learning how to drive at age 8). They came to Austin for school at UT where they studied Global Studies and Communicating Sustainability. Sav tries her best to reduce consumption and reuse anything in her house while attempting to grow a vegetable and herb garden in her small apartment (unsuccessfully due to her cat who just has to taste-test everything before Sav can).
You can follow Sav’s adventures on IG @sav_wartenbach
