Artmatters in Baltimore: A Focused Supply Shop for Serious Painters and Printmakers
Artmatters is a single-location, independently owned art supply store on North Avenue that stocks materials primarily for painting, printmaking, and drawing, with minimal inventory for crafts or digital media. The shop occupies roughly 1,200 square feet and serves a customer base ranging from hobbyists to working artists and MFA students, particularly those affiliated with nearby institutions like MICA.
What Artmatters actually carries
The store emphasizes depth over breadth. Rather than a general-purpose art supply warehouse, Artmatters prioritizes high-end and professional-grade materials. The painting section includes full lines of Winsor & Newton oils, Gamblin, and Schmincke watercolors, alongside student-grade Gamblin 1980 oils and Grumbacher acrylics. Printmaking is a strength: the shop stocks Caligo Safe Wash inks, various paper weights suited to intaglio work, and etching needles and burins from Pfeil and other German toolmakers. Drawing materials include multiple Caran d'Ache and Faber-Castell pencil ranges, charcoal sticks from Staedtler and Conté, and heavy cold-pressed papers from Arches and Saunders Waterford.
The store does not carry fabric paint, polymer clay, or scrapbooking supplies. It does not operate a framing service in-house, though staff can direct customers to local framers.
Pricing and product range compared to Baltimore alternatives
Artmatters' pricing on professional oils runs $12 to $28 per tube depending on pigment; Winsor & Newton Titanium White, for example, costs $24 for a 37ml tube. A 140-pound Arches watercolor pad (12x16 inches, 20 sheets) sells for $48. These align with national retail, not discount. Blick Art Materials (online only; no Baltimore storefront) charges similar prices, though shipping adds cost.
For printmaking supplies, Artmatters stocks intaglio papers and inks that big-box retailers like Blick and even some local frame shops do not keep in inventory, making Artmatters the faster option if you need Caligo ink or a specific paper weight the same day. Dick Blick's physical presence ended in Baltimore years ago. For casual acrylic and student supplies, drugstore chains and Michaels often undercut Artmatters on budget-line tubes and pads, but Michaels' inventory of professional-grade watercolor or printmaking materials is negligible. Artmatters' strength is not price leadership but availability of specific, mid-to-professional products within the city.
Who benefits most from Artmatters, and who might shop elsewhere
Artmatters suits painters, printmakers, and serious drawing students who need reliable stock of known brands and can make decisions based on pigment or paper weight rather than price alone. It also serves MICA and Maryland Institute College of Art students on tight schedules. The shop does not offer large bulk discounts or cater to craft teachers or classroom supply orders; those buyers should contact Blick directly for volume pricing.
Hobbyists looking for a one-stop craft supply (yarn, markers, stickers, foam boards) will find Artmatters limiting. Michaels remains the better choice for mixed media and general craft supplies at lower price points.
The first visit
First-time visitors should expect a compact, organized space with materials arranged by medium rather than skill level. Staff typically know the differences between professional and student lines and can advise on pigment permanence or paper sizing, but the shop does not offer in-person classes or demonstrations. If you arrive without a specific product in mind, browsing can take 15 to 20 minutes to understand the full range. The counter occupies one corner, and the store accepts cash and card.
Hours, location, and parking
Artmatters operates Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., with Monday closures. Street parking is available on North Avenue and surrounding residential blocks; there is no dedicated lot. The walk from the nearest MTA bus stop (Route 3) is under five minutes.
Artmatters fills a specific and durable role in Baltimore's artist community by stocking inventory that online-only retailers require shipping to deliver and that big-box stores do not carry at all, particularly for printmaking and serious painting.
