Santa Cruz County is home to countless artists and other creative individuals. The area boasts many retail shops that stock a variety of local art. Here are details for several enticing stores where you can find endless local art and designs.
Lumen
In Capitola Village just a couple blocks from the ocean, Lumen is a treasure trove. Step into the small shop and prepare to be struck by an abundance of color and beauty. Owner Cierra Ryczek, a jeweler, curates a thoughtful inventory of creative works from local and regional artists including paintings and prints by Marie Gabrielle, Doug Ross, Mckella Jo, Kayla Tahani and Janel Galvez. Lumen is the exclusive gallery for local talent Kat Weber and the only Santa Cruz County shop to carry Jonathan Adler ceramics.
Additional local art includes pieces from Annieglass plus local hand-thrown ceramics. About 80% of the jewelry in the store is from Ryczek’s Cierra Designs line; there is also jewelry from other, mostly West Coast artists. Discover prints with California scenes like Maverick’s and signature redwoods and gaze at the ceiling to view gorgeous lamps from Morro Bay’s Rowan Chase.
Rootstock Collective
At Pleasure Point’s Rootstock, you’ll find small and large paintings and prints (framed and unframed), cyanotypes, photos, fiber art, and jewelry from about 40 California artists. About 85% are from Santa Cruz County. Some prints and paintings—as well as fun drink coasters with photos—show ocean scenes and/or Santa Cruz landmarks. Local artists include painter Tessa Hope Hasty, stained glass artist Whale and Hawk and jewelry business In Situ. Rootstock also sells eye-catching, Santa cruz-themed “arty” stickers in addition to empty wooden frames for displaying your recently bought artworks. Don’t miss the assortment of greeting cards including highly imaginative creations from local business Hawk & Hammer.
Behind the name: In gardening terms, a rootstock is the rooted portion of a plant where a shoot or bud from another plant is grafted onto it and the two grow together to become a single, strong plant. Accordingly, artist Nicole Fischer launched this shop to help artists grow in their craft and strengthen their practice through meaningful connections between their art and customers. Enjoy connecting!
Home/Work
Owner Sonia McMoran takes pride in the meticulously selected items she offers at her enchanting midtown Santa Cruz shop. Home/Work has fantastic prints and greeting cards by local artist Mike Bencze (images include nearby Henry Cowell Park and Wilder Ranch) and is the exclusive retailer for Bencze’s stickers and postcards. Explore works by Seven Ravens Studio: The San Benito County-based artist—formerly of Santa Cruz County—makes cards, tea towels, bandanas and totes with images of animals and their habitats.
In the “adorable art” category: Tiny Pots from a Long Beach, California potter. Sizes range from 1 to 2.5 inches, and Home/Work sells air plants that fit inside, too. Other treasures include pottery by local Studio Ju Ceramics and Salty Sweet Studio (the latter uses local botanicals to create prints on ceramics), jewelry from local teen Sofie Czech and local artist Drew Madden’s California Wildlife Conversation Decks—60 illustrated cards geared toward instilling dialogue about and curiosity for nature. Also interesting: L.A.-based Marley & Alfie take reclaimed ranch steel horseshoes and hand-wrap them with acyclic colorful yarn. Don’t leave without trying the coin-operated Mini Print Vending Machine created by Maine-based relief printmaker Anastasia Inciardi. It’s only a dollar for an original linocut print: a ‘surprise’ the machine chooses from several displayed designs.
Artisans & agency
Artisans & agency is located on Pacific Avenue in the center of downtown Santa Cruz. Stroll through the spacious store and peruse items like gorgeous wood pieces (Origin’s 3D maps of Santa Cruz and polished hardwood boxes from Boulder Creek’s David and Kim Okrant), illustrations of Santa Cruz landmarks by local artists Mike Bencze and Steve Hosmer, and Bay Area resident Diana Hartman’s playful prints on small, repurposed wood panels—think banana slugs sitting on mushrooms reading books.
A standout: the large inventory of items bearing images by artist Doug Ross, a longtime Santa Cruz resident before passing away in 2016. Artisans & agency sells his prints and is also the producer and exclusive retailer for clothing (like t-shirts for toddlers through adults with Ross’ Zen seal image), tea towels, glassware and greeting cards emblazoned with otters, land birds and more. Artisans & agency also has the largest collection in the county of popular local painter Marie Gabrielle, many jewelers’ work, and an extraordinary assortment of artistic greeting cards.
Willow Works
The co-owners of this charming small shop are themselves artists with pottery line The Clay Chalet and jewelry line Desert Moon Design. The two women focus on curating local art from Santa Cruz County and Bay Area artists and also sell their own products at Willow Works. These include ceramic mugs, small plates with real flowers embedded in them, and earrings, necklaces, and bracelets—many made from 14K gold fill or brass.
What Willow Works lacks in size, it makes up for in spirit. You can’t help but smile as you browse all the choices like Lili Arnold aprons and cotton tea towels displaying images taken from the artist’s linocut prints, greeting cards with endearing animals from artist Lauren Burke (she paints images and creates cards that are prints of these), and Out West Design Co. apparel including t-shirts and sweatshirts. Don’t miss handmade textiles from Sunday Outpost including fabric tote bags, small pouches with whimsical patterns like strawberries, tomatoes and leopard print.
Art of Santa Cruz
Finding an art gallery-type-shop next to Target inside a shopping mall seems out of place, but it exists and it’s wonderful! At Art of Santa Cruz, there are items from over 60 artists, all from Santa Cruz County. Jeri Anderson creates paintings, giclee prints, photos, and cards. Her subjects include Pacific Avenue and the Santa Cruz holiday train. Patrick Jagger’s photography includes images of Seabright State Beach and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. You’ll find lots of beach- and ocean-themed selections from many creators. Watch for Wendy Laird’s acrylic works on canvas or wood panels–with images like sailboats, harbor scenes, and sunflowers. Popular photographers include Sylvia Valentine (who also does floral art) and Petcharee Tamawong (vibrant photos display Thai fruit that she has carved into works of art).
The store’s entrance sign says Art of Santa Cruz with the tagline “Fine and functional art.” Functional art includes Chelsea Wagner cutting boards (wood with ocean wave resin design), iris-patterned pottery from Linda Schauble, and Sunny Olas Designs’ small wooden magnets with themes like Capitola or seashells. Usable art items include ceramic mugs, bowls, vases, and olive oil dispensers; clocks; glass plates and other dishes, and chopsticks. Also for your perusing pleasure: placemats, napkins, and bowl cozies. How about functional AND wearable art? Enjoy scarves and more. Nonprofit Regional Artisans Association operates Art of Santa Cruz, a true one-stop shop for art and art gifts.
And Friends
The festive mural on the outside wall of this gallery and shop is a sign of what’s to come when you enter And Friends: a fabulous combination of art and whimsy. At this Pleasure Point spot, owner Sydney Pfaff curates mostly California-based artists for exhibitions that rotate monthly. Think fine-art prints, ceramics, textiles and mixed-media works. Want to relax? Sink into plush, comfortable couches directly in front of the exhibit wall as you view the art.
Directly opposite the gallery portion is a retail section; a handcrafted U-shaped counter made of curly maple separates the two areas. San Francisco’s Black Crate Designs created this beautiful furniture. Artistic, handmade products for sale include hand-poured soy wax candles from And Friend’s in-house brand, Electric Tides (made in Aptos), and lots of pottery. This includes Luvhaus mugs from Oakland, bowls from Steve’s Backhouse, and popular ceramic “stash jars” (catch-all containers) from MH Studio. The latter two businesses are L.A.-based. And Friends is the only shop in the region to carry textiles (like blankets and bathmats) from renowned New York-based company Cold Picnic.