Bittersweet Shopping at Daniel Smith

8/26/21 Daniel Smith store and First Avenue South ramp

When Daniel Smith’s Seattle store announced that it was finally reopening after its 18-month pandemic closure, we sketchers were overjoyed to have our favorite art supply store again. Our joy was short-lived, however, when that announcement was followed by another that the reopening was only temporary: The store would be closing permanently in November. Unrelated to the pandemic, the closure supports expansion of Daniel Smith’s paint manufacturing and wholesale business, which is the company’s bread and butter. Although I was relieved to know that DS wasn’t going out of business, that didn’t soften the blow of the store’s closure.  

Much more than just a retail store, Daniel Smith offered workshops, demos, vendor days, book signings, presentations and other events that had brought the art community together for 45 years. It was also very supportive of Urban Sketchers Seattle. I will miss the knowledgeable, helpful staff. We have other art supply stores here, but they will not fill the hole left behind when DS closes its doors.

Through my various casual art forays over the years, I wandered many times up and down the aisles, both dazzled and bewildered by all the possibilities those art materials represented. When I began urban sketching and learning to draw in earnest a decade ago, I started attending demos and workshops. The last few years, I even had ambitions of someday offering demos or classes there myself.

This morning I did my best to help DS clear remaining inventory (the 20 percent discount didn’t hurt) by stocking up on favorites, but as my final shopping trip there, it was probably the saddest art supply shopping I’ve ever done.

(Incidentally, Daniel Smith’s logo and signage include a saguaro, which I’ve always thought was strange for a Seattle-based store. I’m sure there’s a story there, but I’ve never heard it.)

They're BACK!

The Daniel Smith Seattle store, which I've called "the mothership", reopened today after 18 months closed due to the pandemic.

But not for long.   The owner has decided to close the store permanently in November.  This is not the paint manufacturing. DS paints will still be available. 

I went early to sketch, arriving at 0915.  I was surprised to find a line developing.  By the opening time of 1000, there were over 60 people in line.  Everyone was masked as required. I saw several people I know from past demos and workshops.  There was a feeling of a community party but bittersweet.   

I went in to say "hi" to some of the staff.  I wasn't even going into that watercolor aisle!

 Remember, we're going to meet at the store for a Thank You sketch outing on Sept 5. 

Let's say THANK YOU to Daniel Smith, September 5 at 10am

My fellow sketchers and artists, 

You've probably heard the very sad news that this pillar and center of our arts community in the Pacific Northwest and beyond is closing permanently in November. 

For decades at the Mother Ship of the world famous Daniel Smith Fine Art Materials, its wonderful staff and management have generously nurtured and promoted our arts community--from bringing in world famous artists to offer a constant stream of incredible workshops and demos, to hosting book signing events to support local authors (like me!), to providing a place where local talent can teach classes on a regular basis, to providing a meeting space for organizations like the Northwest Watercolor Society, to constantly and creatively offering support and learning opportunities to our arts community in countless ways both big and small. 

And of course there is the amazing array of supplies in their huge, light-filled space, the friendliest and most knowledgable staff with whom we've become friends, and much more. I spent many a morning perusing the aisles and finding just the right brush or paint or pen, always staying at least an hour longer than I had planned. If it's possible to be emotionally attached to a store, well, they've achieved it. We will all miss this place so much!

In light of these sad changes, NOW is the time to say THANK YOU to everyone at the DANIEL SMITH flagship store!!!!!

Let's say thanks in our Urban Sketchers way by showing up for a sketchcrawl on Sunday, September 5 at 10am. Wear masks! We can sketch inside or outside, then post our work on Instagram with the hashtag #thankyoudanielsmithstoreseattle (yes, it's long, but worth it!)

Even if you can't make it on September 5, why not create your own thank you post and share it to the hashtag -- a place where the DS owners and staff can see how much they are loved and will be missed. Let's also encourage other artists we know to create their own posts and share their favorite memories to this hashtag. 

As they permanently shut their doors, let's say a huge Urban Sketchers THANK YOU to John, Thom, Patrice, Janice, our own Sue Heston, and everyone at DS!!! 

(And kudos to the store also for maintaining ALL of their full-time staff during the pandemic and beyond, they have all pivoted to working on the production side!)