TOP 10:
my all-time favorite locations
to shop for art supplies
+ source creative materials
in no specific order, they are all incredible and offer their own piece of artistic magic
SENNELIER
if you are passing by paris and are an artist or art lover, the Sennelier store is a must see during your visit. this little shop, bordering the river, has been creating and providing materials to artists for over 100 years! the store hosts an incredible collection of handmade papers from all over the world as well as some of the best quality pigments and paints, wonder and get lost within its antique wooden corridors filled with colors and magical inspiration.
address
3 Quai Voltaire, 75007 Paris
favorite supply
the Vermeer dry pastels, soft, pigmented, and hand made — oh, get them in the little antique glass bottles for an extra dose of preciousness!
JOOP STOOP
as a printmaker and lover of paper myself, planning a trip to Joop Stoop makes my heart sing. the quality of the paper they present is above all standards, handmade to perfection for all kinds of printmaking techniques. the store is owned and ran by two printmaking experts, that are more than happy to advice you and answer any questions you might have.
address
12 Rue le Brun, 75013 Paris
favorite supply
the 300 g/s Simili Japon paper in ivory is a must try if you pass by, once you try the softness and beauty of this paper, you will not be able to use another.
BOESNER
this place is my go-to for mostly anything i need. out of linoleum ink? let’s pop in. need paintbrushes? let’s go. no more varnish? Boesner is the place! i love having a extremely well stocked and close to the studio location, this place will forever be in my heart.
address
46 Rue du Chemin Vert, 75011 Paris
favorite supply
their french-made wooden panels are perfect in quality and aesthetics, once i discovered these, i never looked back.
p.s. you can quickly email them and order the most perfect custom sized passe-partouts, again, the quality is simply superb.
LAVRUT
located within one of paris’ classic and charming interior passage ways, in Le Passage Choiseul, Lavrut holds a variety of quality materials for both budget and high end seekers. this shop has been providing materials for painters, drawers, sculptors, designers, and more since, nearly, 100 years ago. you will definitely find exactly what you need in this historical shop.
address #1
118 Rue Réaumur, 75002 Paris
address #2
52 Passage Choiseul, 75002 Paris
favorite supply
i love browsing through the magnitude of sketchbooks Lavrut has to offer and am always tempted on adding just one more to my collection.
LA RESERVE DES ARTS
okay, technically not inside of Paris, per-say, but i swear it’s close enough and definitely worth it! La Reserve Des Arts collects unwanted materials from all sorts of businesses in Paris and gives them a second life by offering them to us, at incredibly low prices. there is a sea of treasures and creative inspiration waiting for you. you can find from the most beautiful buttons, to actual tree trunks, to incredible theater sets, to foam, to paint, and the list could go on and on, i once found vintage movie seats!
disclaimer: this place runs on a membership basis and is only open to artists. you have to sign up and pay an annual fee of 13€ to be able to purchase. you can sign up directly at the shop or online.
address
14 Av. Edouard Vaillant, 93500 Pantin
favorite supply
okay, so i cannot name one, because i don’t go here for a specific thing, rather to find treasure, and believe me, once you visit, you will find treasure too.
p.s. they also have a petite boutique located at Rue Prévost Paradol, 75014 Paris
MARCHÉ SAINT-PIERRE
located in the foots of Montmarte and the Basilique du Sacré Cœur lies the Marché Saint-Pierre, a historical fabric district where the Dreyfus and the Moline family started selling fabric in these streets in 1879. stroll down its streets popping in and out of a variety of shops, discovering all kinds of fabrics and sewing materials from vintage buttons to silk thread as you catch the magnificent view of the Basilique du Sacré Cœur. Make sure to make time to visit the Halle Saint-Pierre, this building hosted the original market until the 1930’s and now hosts a naive art museum, Le Musée d'Art Naïf – Max Fourny, also known, as Le Musée d'Art Brut & Art Singulier.
address
2 Rue Charles Nodier, 75018 Paris
favorite supply
for those of us who prefer to prime our canvases ourselves, find the best unbleached, natural cotton canvas within these shops.
LEZ’ARTS
Lez’Arts is a specialty art shop mainly (though not exclusively) geared towards architecture and design. they pride themselves in the variety, quality, and lower price of all the materials and services they offer. not only a shop, but a lab, Lez’Arts offers services like laser cutting, 3d printing, and large format printing, amongst others. definitely a place to keep in mind through your projects.
address #1
79 Rue Julien Lacroix, 75020 Paris
address #2
24 Rue du Regard, 75006 Paris
favorite supply
their laser cutting services are definitely at the top of my list.
MARIN BEAUX-ARTS
Marin Beaux-Arts is an artist supply manufacturer geared mainly towards painters. they have been creating a variety of paints, from watercolors to oils, and custom painting supports since 1947. this location is a bit out of paris, but if you are a painter established in paris, it is 100% worth a visit for the quality and price of their materials. Marin has established an incredible reputation for itself in France and has since worked with professional institutions like Le Musée du Louvre, Le Musée d’Orsay, Le Centre Georges Pompidou, Le Château de Versailles, amongst many others. here you will find everything you need, canvases, stretchers, paints, mediums, gesso, paintbrushes to stock up for your painting practice. and if you’re not in the mood to go, you can download their extensive catalogue and order directly to your studio, any advising needed, they have the most wonderful team who will be happy to help via email or through a phone call.
address
70 Av. Gabriel Péri, 94110, Arcueil
favorite supply
since discovering them in college, i love ordering their oil paints.
ADAM
for over 100 years Adam has been a point of reference for artists as a pigment manufacturer, titling themselves as marchand de couleurs since 1989. the shop quickly gained fame as it was the only art shop in Paris allowing customers to manipulate and see the supplies directly, not placing them behind glass shelves. more than simply a shop and manufacturer, Adam gained a reputation as providing color solutions to their clients. they are responsible for the creation of Yves Klein’s iconic IKB (International Klein Blue) blue as well as creating Alexander Calder’s varnish for his metal sculptures.
address #1
11 Bd Edgar Quinet, 75014 Paris
address #2
96 Rue Damrémont, 75018 Paris
favorite supply
though i don’t use it in my practice myself, i love walking into their space to take in the color inspiration, looking at the bottles and bags filled with pure powdered pigmet.
LA MAISON DU PASTEL
the incredible story of La Maison du Pastel starts in the 18th century, over 300 years ago, in 1720, when they first began offering handmade pastels to artists. the recipe currently used for their exceptional pastels was created by Henri Roché, when he took over the business in 1865, since then the recipe has been handed down from generation to generation, honouring its history and handmade origin. today (and since 1912), the little workshop and boutique lies in the center of Le Marais neighborhood, hidden away from the noise of the streets within a small residential courtyard, behind a beautiful wooden door that tells its own story. the shop only opens once a week, on thursday afternoons, so make sure to plan this special spot into your visit and add some time to really take in and discover all the beauty, inspiration, and history this magical place has to offer.
disclaimer: you are not walking in this space for a bargain of cheap materials, but rather incredibly pigmented and quality handmade art pieces in themselves. i would suggest to visit La Maison du Pastel even if you are not looking to purchase, the place offers way more value than that.
address
20 Rue Rambuteau, 75003 Paris
favorite supply
i’m a sucker for everything in their antique collection, but am specially obsessed with their vintage color charts.
why can’t i choose #1?
because as a multidisciplinary artist,
i am obsessed with each & every one of them
all i crave in my practice is creative freedom. i struggled with having multiple creative pulls for so long, trying my best to not to listen and completely ignore my inner voice, always telling myself that only by choosing one single medium and one single technique will i be a real artist, will i find my voice.
it took me a minute (ha! if only!) and only the realization that i was no longer feeling joy from my practice to realize and intentionally decide that i wasn’t listening to those “rules” anymore. my creative practice is for me, and there’s nothing more magical than exploring and discovering completely new things. those pulls come from within me and they are exactly why i want to continue creating.
If what i crave in life as a creative is freedom then why would i box myself in from that freedom simply out of fear? through the years i have created so much beauty, beauty that has made me grow and has healed me. listening to these inner creative pulls allows my inner artist to continually grow and expand within me, creating new inspiration for beautiful new work and collections.
i hope you too allow these places to feed you inspiration and flourish your creativity,
allowing your inner artist to bloom. remember to save this email and guide for your next visit to the city!
