Edinburgh is home to a vibrant artistic community, reflected in its wonderful range of independent art shops. The focus of this article will be on three local stores taking a glimpse into each of their unique characters.
Edinburgh Art Shop:
Only a short walk from the Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) is the Edinburgh Art Shop at 129 Lauriston Place. This shop is packed with an abundance of excellent products, with a variety of brands and catering to all abilities. Browsing here is a pleasure; there is just so much to look at, from stationery to watercolours, wrapping paper to oil pastels, dipping pens to handmade paper.
There is also a real sense of community: posters and leaflets line the walls advertising art courses, exhibitions and the work of local artists. A great initiative is The Community Art Swap, which invites customers to swap a small artwork of theirs for one on the Community Art Board. Speaking to the staff, it’s clear that they play a vital role in contributing to the atmosphere of this shop too. Led by considerate and kind management, the assistants are also practicing artists who are dedicated to helping you find whatever you’re looking for.
Greyfriars Art Shop:
Established in 1840, the Greyfriars Art Shop is the oldest independent art shop in Edinburgh (even predating Bobby), and it has been selling artist supplies for over 200 years.
Its distinctive dark green frontage and golden lettering distinguish it from other shopfronts, and the interior is neatly filled with a good selection of supplies including paper, paintbrushes, pencils and paints, easels, canvases and materials for sculpting.
Greyfriars Art Shop, along with its sister branch on 20 Dundas Street, are focused on stocking high quality products for professional practitioners but the shop has a large enough range for artists of all abilities and at reasonable prices too.
Located so close to ECA and Edinburgh’s city centre, it’s only natural that students are frequent visitors. One of the biggest sellers of the shop is balsa wood for the architects’ scale models, making it somewhat of a landmark to ECA students.
Henderson Artshop:
Founded in 1983 by Malcolm Henderson, the Henderson Artshop is located on 28a Raeburn Place, in Stockbridge, a fantastic area for independent shops and cafés just outside the city centre.
Maintaining the traditional feeling of the shop has been a priority for the owners, who have been successful in their attempt to conserve the atmosphere of the bustling and quaint street, particularly through their emphasis on excellent customer service. Among its art materials for painting, drawing and crafting, this shop also offers an affordable framing service, the sale of prints by local artists as well as a great selection of gift cards.
Visiting these shops, I was struck by the friendliness of the staff and the dialogue generated between the customers and shop assistants about everything from printmaking to Posca pens. Being practicing artists and technicians themselves, the assistants are first and foremost in service of the ideas, ambitions and problems of their customers concerning their art making. The invaluable advice offered by staff and their active investment in the creative communities of Edinburgh is what makes them so special, highlighting the importance of independently owned businesses and the impact they have on their communities.
Photo provided by Elizabeth Greeney for The Student