Special Edition: A New York List
Some of my favorite places in NYC to find inspiration, sit and draw for hours, people-watch, and explore.
I am so happy to share with you just a teeny slice of the magic that my beloved city has to offer. I am writing this specifically for my audience—people who like art supply and stationery shops, good food that is reasonably priced (and fun to draw), art and history museums, galleries, and designer boutiques; who love wandering around, eager to find great design and unique bits of intentional and unintentional art. People who like to look at everything—from a bin full of vintage pins at the flea market to completely unaffordable objects at a gallery or boutique—and who scour the sidewalks to spot random things to sketch along the way. This list is for sketchbook keepers who want to quietly watch the people who make the city so vibrant and exciting, and to look at million-dollar paintings, street art and graffiti, and everything in between.
Where to begin? The only way for me to do this is to start with the first places that come to mind, share them here, and then slowly add to the list over time. I have no doubt that I will be walking down the street thinking, “Should I add this gallery or this shop?” or “How could I forget this restaurant?!” So bear with me and keep referring to the list (it will live here on my homepage), as it will be changing and evolving over time.
My husband and my two sons love exploring the city (almost) as much as I do, so this is a compilation of all our favorite places. Keep in mind that this list doesn’t cover all the boroughs. It comprises mostly Manhattan and Brooklyn spots because that is where we spend most of our time.
I am only able to include a limited amount of artwork in each post, so I really had to edit for this one. I have created drawings of and inside of so many of these places!
Please add your additions (or corrections) in the comments!
Stationery, Art Supply and Gift Shops
Yoseka Stationery, in Greenpoint, is a must for all my followers/readers. Just go, it is an amazing spot that you won’t be able to leave without finding something special for your art supply/pen/ink/stationery collections.
Goods for the Study, multiple locations. They have such a great selection of notebooks and sketchbooks.
Bowne & Co. Printers, South Street Seaport. Great for looking at the old print shop and checking out letterpress-printed posters and cards.
Niconeco Zakkaya, East Village. Just go. This place is a gem.
Top Hat, Lower East Side. This is a little-known shop that I always love to visit. Unique stationery and office items mixed with a random assortment of design objects. Plus the best selection of washi tape you’ll find!
KC Arts, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. There aren’t many local art supply shops left in NYC. This is a great neighborhood spot.
Soho Art Materials is a beautifully curated shop that sells all the best things. You can get handmade stretched canvases here, A. Gallo handmade watercolor paints, and other harder-to-find specialty materials.
Artists and Craftsmen, Park Slope and Williamsburg. All around great art supply stores that are owned and run by artists.
Blick, multiple locations. While I am sad that many of the local art supply shops have closed, Blick has everything. I like going to the newest location on Broadway in Soho.
The Locavore Variety Store, West Village. Created by my friend, Caroline, this shop is all about shopping local. Everything she sells is sourced within 100 miles of NYC and is created by small businesses. It is a super fun shop filled with so many amzing gifts and treats for everyone!