Quality Art Supplies & Gifts to Inspire the Artist in Your Life
Mystic Art Supplies is your one-stop shopping for finding quality art supplies and gifts in La Conner! A few years ago, Danielle Bies enjoyed working at an art supply store. There had been some light conversation about buying the business, but it never worked out. When the stars lined up last year, Danielle Bies and Spencer Dunlap decided it was a good time to open a store in their favorite Skagit Valley community. “We never understood why there wasn’t an art supply store in La Conner (while we have been visiting for the past 10 years) and saw it as the perfect place to start our business,” says Danielle.
Why La Conner?
La Conner is full of art galleries and museums, including the Museum of Northwest Art. Between the art history of La Conner and the current art community, Danielle thought that it would be a perfect addition to the town. Mystic Art Supplies provides locals and tourists the opportunity to create art after spending all day inspired by the art throughout the town. “We also wanted to bring premium art supplies that are not usually available in the larger department stores into a local store to better support the local art community,” says Danielle.
In fact, La Conner’s art history inspired the name Mystic Art Supply. In 1953, Time Magazine released an article about four local artists – Mark Tobey, Morris Graves, Kenneth Callahan, and Guy Anderson – who are accredited for creating the “Northwest School” of art, dubbing them the “Northwest Mystics.” Bringing art and recognition to La Conner, these men made a huge impact on the art scene in Washington.
New Inventory & Lessons
Besides wonderful coloring books that just arrived, Mystic Art Supplies’ best sellers also include gelly roll pens and watercolor supplies. Danielle is constantly bringing in new products to support the art community better.
Danielle is busy creating a full offering of classes for adults and children taught by local artists from the area. There will be watercolor, oil painting, acrylic painting, charcoal, drawing, and more. The classes will begin to be offered this winter and are geared for beginners and beyond.
Here to Support You
“We want people to know that we are here to support them on their artistic endeavors no matter what level they think they are at. Artists aren’t born overnight – it takes time and patience to learn a new skill, and we can provide them with the tools that they will need to make a masterpiece.” Danielle and Spencer’s favorite customers love to create and share.
“It’s great to talk to people who have been practicing their preferred art form for years; to pick their brains and learn what they love about what they do. In turn, talking to someone who is just discovering and developing a new skill can be exhilarating. When they get stuck on something we are here to be able to offer advice and a different perspective to help them work their way through whatever project they are working on at the time.”
Danielle and Spencer are most excited about getting open and the genuine potential for growth. With their constantly expanding selection of supplies and up-and-coming classes, La Conner has a lot to look forward to!
