With so many talented visual artists on the Sunshine Coast, it is essential that we have shops and services to support their work.
Vanessa Tomada, owner of The Painted Lady Art Supplies and Framing in Gibsons, took over the shop in 2020, a year that was fraught with uncertainty for many businesses. But Vanessa, who had been managing the store, then called Lisa’s Framing and Art Supplies, for a few years, knew it was a fit. Thanks to a loan from Community Futures Sunshine Coast, she was able to capitalize on her previous work at an art supply chain and the fact that she is an artist herself. She knew just where there was potential to expand:
“We’ve at least tripled the amount of art supplies that we carry. I worked for another art supply chain in Vancouver when I was younger, so I had a good idea of all the areas we were lacking in. There is still lots we could bring in, if we can find creative ways to make the best use of space in our location. My three staff and I are all artists ourselves, so it’s really easy for us to bring in new things we want to try, or think people will be interested in.”
There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a project, with the muse flowing nicely, only to find that you’ve lost your palette knife or run out of phthalo blue. Ramon Kubicek, a local artist and former instructor at Langara College and Emily Carr University, divides his time between Gibsons and Montreal. Having access to a wide selection of high-quality art supplies makes his time in a small town like Gibsons much more productive: “It’s a lifesaver on the Coast. The staff at The Painted Lady are very friendly and helpful . . . They also do custom framing and help with designing spaces through artwork.”
So many people move to the Sunshine Coast with the goal of living out their creative dreams. Besides an expanded selection of supplies, support, and ideas, Vanessa says what her customers crave are opportunities to expand their skills:
“The number one thing people have been asking for, that we haven’t done in years, is classes! Rose has finally organized a Block Printing class, coming up this April! We plan on trying to organize more in the near future.”
Stop in at The Painted Lady for supplies, ideas, and classes. If they don’t have a product you are looking for, they are happy to source it for you.
