Trash Bat

Crafting bat art out of reused materials

By Jill Robbins

What do bats, recycling, and art all have in common? While that might seem like a bit of a head-scratcher, a group of Austin creatives are pairing bat education with a bit of whimsy: meet Mrs. Batreuse, a sustainable sculpture made of recycled materials. The 9-foot-wide, 5-foot-tall Mrs. Batreuse is more than just a cool piece of art greeting all who enter Austin Creative Reuse (ACR)—she’s the culmination of nearly two years of collaboration between Bat Conservation International (BCI) and the Austin community.

The idea to craft a larger-than-life bat sculpture out of trash stemmed from a 2022 partnership between BCI and the Austin Youth River Watch (AYRW). The nonprofit organization combines peer mentoring with environmental education, providing immersive nature-based learning programs via after-school and summer programs. The partners came together when the River Watchers expressed interest in a bat-themed week for their summer camp.

“We believe in the power of art to inspire and connect people to conservation, and this was such a fun collaboration that relates to the missions of all three of our nonprofit organizations.”
—Erin Cord

“It’s hard to think of bat-related activities for campers because it’s so hot outside during summer,” says BCI’s Community Engagement Manager Erin Cord.

Central Texas summers can be brutal, with July and August average highs in the upper 90s with the mercury frequently spiking over the 100-degree Fahrenheit mark. The solution was to create a bat-themed indoor art project, which is how ACR came on board. ACR sells gently used creative materials donated by individuals and businesses, keeping usable art materials out of landfills and selling them at affordable prices. It also holds various make-and-take workshops, and the organization had previously collaborated with BCI on a bat-themed craft for Bat Week.

Three masked individuals collaborate on a gray sculptural object in a colorful art space.

AYRW students and artist Joan Cabbarus paint and assemble the sculpture’s head.

Photo: Erin Cord

Everything started to come together with a sustainable art project created by a group of student environmentalists and an opportunity to deliver bat education in a fun, imaginative way.

Cord says the decision to have the River Watchers work on a bat sculpture with recycled materials stemmed from the need to emphasize the importance of diverting waste from landfills and water sources.

“The sculpture was made of plastic, and research has shown that microplastics are incredibly ubiquitous in our natural world, including in our bodies and the bodies of bats,” Cord says.

ACR brought in artist Joan Cabarrus, who directed more than 20 kids to sculpt Ms. Batreuse using 100% recycled plastic. The sculpture is made from bubble wrap, coat hangers, garbage bags, polystyrene, and even old wigs and Christmas ornaments. The materials came from ACR’s storefront as well as trash collected by the River Watchers during their cleanup projects.

The name Mrs. Batreuse (bat reuse, get it?) was bestowed by the artist, who created a fun backstory that included a Mr. Batreuse, who lives under Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge, home to the world’s largest urban bat colony.

“It’s fun to anthropomorphize an art project,” Cabarrus says. “People can easily remember and connect to art or objects if there are stories behind them.”

Mrs. Batreuse and a sign explaining the collaboration and message are on permanent display in ACR’s East Austin location.

Mrs. Batreuse is a 9-foot-wide, 5-foot-tall bat sculpture made from recycled materials.

According to Cord, the bat-loving community of Austin has enthusiastically received Mrs. Batreuse. “We believe in the power of art to inspire and connect people to conservation, and this was such a fun collaboration that relates to the missions of all three of our nonprofit organizations,” Cord says.

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