Walking into the New Again and Refill-Able retail shop is an instant lift for the spirits. Immediately, you are greeted with the pleasant scent of handmade candles and a sun-lit expanse of carefully curated products on shelves lining every wall. Intricately knitted sweaters and scarves hang on racks and an adorable Cardigan Corgi named Pandora is happy to investigate customers while being pet. The cheery space then draws the eye back to a large, long room with work tables, more shelves and displays, and people sitting and making. This is the homey and creativity-inducing space that Gail Farrell, Executive Director and Founder of New Again and Refill-Able, and local artist, teacher, and owner of Hello Peach Arts, Jennifer Godbois, have put their hearts and minds into.
Farrell started New Again in 2012 with the people who were aging out of special education in mind. New Again is a 501c(3) nonprofit that teaches vocational skills and job training to adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. New Again is especially fostering of those interested in becoming artists. The retail space and business model offer job opportunities for these adults while also providing shared studio space for local businesses and students participating in the offered classes.
In addition to New Again, the retail space also houses Refill-Able -a zero-waste store for household items. Businesses labeled “zero-waste” mean they eliminate single-use packaging for their products as well as carry reusable, often biodegradable items such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry soap, toothpaste, makeup, soaps, lotions, sponges, dryer balls, food storage containers, and many other personal care and household products. Refill-Able also strives to use as many local products as possible and is always looking for local businesses and partners to feature.
“We also have a refillery where we refill your empty containers with more product, or you can purchase one of the containers we have here for reuse.” If you are wondering about a specific type of product to provide refills for, all you have to do is ask. “We listen to our customers,” says Farrell, “We don’t have a set sign for what we offer in the refillery because it is such varied list and it’s always changing -largely based on customer feedback.”
At the beginning of the year, Godbois was searching for a space to build her business. She walked into New Again and found the perfect fit. “Jennifer came in just to ask how this area was for business, but we quickly realized her business would fit perfectly in here and she could be a teacher as well,” says Farrell. Now, Hello Peach Arts is integrated beautifully into the space and had room to grow.
Godbois is an artist of many talents, but fiber arts and teaching are her passions. After a long career as a Federal Auditor for the Department of Health in Boston, she was in need of a change of pace from her intense, high-demand job -one where she could use her creativity and hands to make beautiful things as well as teach others these oft-neglected skills. “I have been doing crochet since I was little. Both of my parents are fiber artists. My father crochets like a machine -he makes beautiful Afghan’s,” explains Godbois.
To further her goal of incorporating art and teaching into her life, Godbois became a certified art teacher and taught at Scituate High School last fall and Halifax Elementary in the spring. She also works in local schools as a substitute teacher. When asked what her favorite material is to work with she says, “My hyper fixations tend to go from one thing to the next, so whatever my focus is at that moment would be my answer, but if I had to choose only one thing to do, it would be sewing. You can make so many things that way, the possibilities are endless.”
In addition to crochet and sewing, Godbois embroiders, felts, and will take on basically anything to do with fiber arts. “I am holding a back-to-school embroidery class on Aug. 29. I was shopping with my kids and saw these sneakers with beautiful eyelet fabric and thought, why not decorate our own? The class will teach you how to embroider things to personalize them -from shoes to backpacks to shirts -anything you want to customize and make your own style.” Godbois also plans to hold sewing classes in the shop, as well as felting. In order to do that, however, she needs the equipment. “I am looking to see if anyone can donate some working sewing machines that I could use to teach on,” she says, “and I am always looking for, and accepting donations of, yarn, fabric, ribbon -or any art and fiber art supply. Most of this yarn was donated.”
Godbios can also be found teaching at local libraries in the community. She leads the Night Ravelers club at the Holmes Public Library and enjoys bringing Hello Peach Arts offerings in a free-library setting. “I want to get out there and help people of all ages become acquainted with fiber arts. A lot of the time, people think it sounds intimidating. But you don’t have to have any experience to come to a class. We can start from the beginning if needed and there is no rush or pressure -if you mess up, which you will, oh well! That’s part of it. Hello Peach Arts is a stress free, all-inclusive environment to learn.”
So when you are settled into your fall routine this year and need a reprise from the chaos of schedules and hurry, consider heading down to New Again, Refill-Able, and Hello Peach Arts to stock up on household wares in the most eco-friendly way you can, support local artists with special needs by purchasing their beautiful products, or take up a new skill, or feed an existing passion in fiber arts. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.” Perhaps now is the perfect time to defy the machine made, and find out how much your heart can imagine.
For more information on New Again and Refill-Able visit:
http://www.newagaininc.org or call (774) 608-9960
For more information on Hello Peach Arts and classes offered visit:
https://www.hellopeacharts.com or text (603) 340-3918