At the center of Laguna’s art world
Twenty-five years ago, Sandy Lashley decided Laguna Beach needed a serious art supply store.
At the time, Lashley had been in Laguna Beach for about 20 years, after pursuing an art degree at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. The ex-New Yorker had started her art career with the noted Art Students League of New York, but ended up married with two boys in Laguna.
Having been an artist and teacher, as well as a freelancer, Lashley thought she knew how to make her store stand out.
“There were some art stores [in Laguna Beach], but they were small and not doing well,” Lashley said. “I wanted to include the art schools, Laguna College, UCI and the elementary schools.”
The strategy — working with art teachers to stock items their students would need to buy — worked. Today, Laguna Art Supply is not only the longest-lived art store in Laguna Beach, it’s one of the only “serious” art supply stores in Orange County, and also offers custom framing.
When she first opened the store, Lashley said she was determined to provide the best canvas to the local artists and student painters, so for years she offered custom-made canvas.
“Now there is better canvas being made [commercially], so we don’t sell as much custom-made canvas,” she said.
Over the years, Laguna Art Supply has evolved into a sort of “general store” of art supplies, educational materials and accessories that one would expect: paint, brushes, easels, pencils, markers, papers and canvas, plus a selection of items that one wouldn’t expect. It’s the kind of store you can get lost in, discovering new treasures around every corner.
For plein air artists, the store has French painting smocks identical to the one worn by iconic Laguna painter Frank Cuprien, plus a large assortment of hats that include everything from wide-brimmed sun hats in various materials to baseball caps.
“We started stocking hats because the plein air artists would come to town to paint and forget to bring a hat with them,” Lashley said.
But that’s not all.
For the student artist, the store carries a variety of items for still-life work: vases in interesting shapes and colors, unusual sculptures and drape material. You can also find a miniature human skeleton or a skull, and, for 99 cents, a companion leaflet titled “Rapid review: the skull.”
Some of the merchandise cannot really be cataloged. There’s interesting jewelry, knickknacks, calendars, prints and just stuff that is hard to resist, especially during the holidays when on the hunt for stocking-stuffers.
“My mom likes to collect stuff,” said Noel Lashley, Sandy’s son, who is now the manager of the store.
Noel remembers when the store opened in 1986.
“It was a small space, and it’s become the go-to place for artists in Orange County.”
Lashley put her sons to work stocking shelves. Noel went on to obtain an art degree and teaching credential and is a substitute teacher as well as a private art instructor when he is not overseeing the store.
Lashley is proud of her staff, who she says can find any item or fill any need.
Jan Koelle, an employee since 2000, knows the store like the back of her hand.
“Artists are very picky,” Koelle said.
When asked what part of the store is her favorite, she responded, “I like the pencils.”
Gary Fishman is known as the “genius framer” because of his skills. Fishman, a New Jersey transplant, has been at the store for 15 years. Asked about the strangest thing he ever framed, he thought for a moment.
“The weirdest thing was a melted part of an engine from the 1993 [Laguna Beach] fires,” he said. “We put it in a Plexiglas shadow box.”
The art supply store draws not only from the art-lovers, artists and art students who abound here, but also visitors.
“People come in to buy art supplies after they get inspired by going to the Festival of Arts,” Noel said.
To celebrate the store’s 25th anniversary, the shop is offering 25% off on all paper products, paints, brushes, easels, art sets and stretched canvas, plus other items, through Dec. 24. There is also 10% off all framing orders. Ask for the discount at the counter.
Laguna Art Supply is at 376 Ocean Ave. The phone number is (949) 494-8867. For more information, visit https://www.lagunaartsupply.com.
Twitter: @CindyFrazier1