Art supplies near Palo Alto

For 78 years, Palo Alto artists bought their paint and paper at University Art. The store opened in Palo Alto in 1948, later moved its operations to Redwood City and announced in 2026 that it had closed. Its old sign still hangs on a Spanish Colonial Revival building on Ramona Street downtown. The closing left the city without a full art supply shop, which surprises newcomers in a town with an art center, a university art department and several active galleries.

The gap is partly filled from outside. Blick Art Materials opened a large store in San Jose in early 2026. Michaels covers crafts and basic art supplies from stores in Mountain View and Redwood City. A paper distributor and a stationery store inside Palo Alto handle paper needs. This guide explains each option. We confirmed every store on its own website, its company's store page or a verified listing in our directory in October 2026.

Where to buy what

Blick Art Materials, San Jose

Blick's San Jose store at 3430 Stevens Creek Boulevard is now the closest full art supply store to Palo Alto. The company announced it in January 2026 and held a grand opening celebration on February 26, 2026. Its announcement describes a wide range of fine art, craft and stationery supplies. Highlights include a fine writing area for testing pens and inks from newer brands, interactive marker and spray paint displays and expanded ceramics and textile departments with specialty glazes and yarns.

The store also offers custom services: made-to-order stretched canvas, fine art framing and printing. That makes it the most practical replacement for the framing counter that University Art once ran. The store page lists hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, with in-store pickup and delivery. Stevens Creek Boulevard is reachable from Interstate 280. Allow about 25 minutes from Palo Alto outside rush hour. Check the Blick San Jose store page before you go. Our San Jose day trip guide has ideas for the rest of the day.

Blick in San Francisco

If you are heading to the city anyway, Blick's San Francisco Van Ness store is at 1930 Van Ness Avenue. Its page lists hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Combine it with a museum visit. You can book San Francisco museum tickets in advance. Our San Francisco day trip guide covers getting there by Caltrain.

Michaels: crafts and basic art supplies

Michaels is the closest chain for acrylics, sketchbooks, foam board, yarn, seasonal decorations and kids' craft kits. Its store pages list two locations near Palo Alto:

• Mountain View: 2415 Charleston Road.
• Redwood City: 100 Woodside Plaza, off Woodside Road.

Michaels suits school projects, scrapbooking, holiday crafts and beginner painting. For artist-grade paint, specialty papers or printmaking supplies, Blick is the better trip. Neither Michaels store page listed hours when we checked, so look them up on the Michaels site or call before you go.

Paper inside Palo Alto

Two stores in town cover paper. Kelly Spicers at 4227 Middlefield Road is the Palo Alto store of a family-owned Western distributor of paper, packaging, wide format and facility supplies. It opens on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is the place for paper by the ream, large format stock and shipping supplies for artwork. The company also runs a public retail website.

Paper Source at Town & Country Village sells decorative papers, card stock, journals, gift wrap and craft supplies. It suits collage, card making and bookbinding projects. Our stationery guide covers it and other paper shops in more detail.

Starter shopping lists by medium

A first trip to a big art store can be overwhelming. These short lists help you buy what you need without filling a cart with extras. Bring them to Blick or Michaels and ask staff to suggest a student or artist grade for each item.

Blick's San Jose store has a fine writing area where you can test pens and inks before buying, which is useful for lettering and sketching. Its expanded ceramics and textile departments stock specialty glazes and yarns, so potters and knitters can shop there too. If you take a class, ask the teacher for a supply list before you buy, since many instructors prefer specific brands and colors.

Supplies for kids and students

For a school project due tomorrow, the quickest option is often the closest Michaels or a stationery aisle at a drugstore. For a gift for a young artist, a good set of colored pencils, a sketchbook and a watercolor box from Blick will outlast a craft kit. Our kids and toys guide lists stores in town with art and craft toys, including books and games at Books Inc.

Tips for buying art supplies

1. Bring a list with brands and colors. Paint names vary by maker. Write down the exact pigment or color number.
2. Ask about student discounts. Bring a student ID and ask at the register whether the store has one.
3. Order online for pickup. Blick lists in-store pickup at both Bay Area stores, which saves a wasted trip for specialty items.
4. Measure work before framing. Bring the piece itself if you can, so the framer can check paper weight and edges.
5. Store paint safely. Solvents and oil-based paints need proper disposal. The city's household hazardous waste program takes them.

Making art in Palo Alto

Once you have supplies, the city has plenty of places to use them. The Palo Alto Art Center runs classes and exhibitions. Our art classes guide lists studios for drawing, painting and printmaking. Our pottery and ceramics guide covers clay studios. For inspiration, the city's art galleries show work by local and international artists.

Frequently asked questions