The Storybook Transformation of our Materials Mobile Trailer by Artist Sarah Doan
In May 2026, we put out the call to our Austin artist community to find someone to decorate our Materials Mobile trailer to make it look and feel more “ACR.” We were able to purchase the trailer through the Impact Austin Education Grant in 2023 and have since used it extensively as part of our Materials Mobile program, which is a mobile pop-up shop filled with education and creative supplies that visits local Austin schools so that educators can stock their classrooms with the supplies they need at no cost to them. After three years, we were ready for a new look that better represents the program and our organization as a whole.
While we received many fantastic submissions, the design submitted by local Austin artist and illustrator Sarah Doan stood out to us as the ideal solution for this project.
What started as a plain aluminum trailer was swiftly transformed into a storybook fantasy under Sarah’s direction. She designed an incredible mural full of adorable characters holding creative and eduction supplies and she enlisted the help of our community to complete the painting process at several Community Art Sessions, where participants were invited to help paint the mural in a “paint-by-numbers” style.
We unveiled the (nearly) completed design at our July Summer Sunday event, which was back to school themed. Our friends at Inside Books Project did the honors, and Sarah spoke briefly about the project and her process. Members of the public were then invited to see the artwork up close and speak with Sarah about her work.
The result is a beautiful trailer design that surprises and delights all who see it. We’re so grateful to Sarah for her incredible artistry and enthusiasm for community involvement in this art project. Her design truly captures the whimsy and wonder of our creative reuse community and we can’t wait for all the educators at our upcoming Materials Mobile visits to get to enjoy the artwork when the trailer visits their school!
This project is supported in part by an Elevate Grant of Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment.