Amidst the ongoing demise of retail I nearly did backflips of joy when I stumbled upon the artfully curated, bite-sized gallery/shop that is Carling Arts. The mere idea of an artist who works small opening a tiny storefront in which his creations are showcased is artful.
Hand-sized ink and graphite originals featuring beautiful, whimsical, fantastical, artistically executed images line the walls. Prints of these images are on shelves and in bins. There's a little of this and a little of that, emphasis on "little" because you can - literally - spread your arms and touch both of the store's side walls while standing in the middle.
There's no room for stuff that doesn't belong and everything here belongs. It's a thoughtful, artful, minimalist selection of offerings.
In my surprise at finding Carling Arts I threatened to spend all day chatting up its artist/founder, Jon Carling, but he was rescued by an actual paying customer and I used that moment to exit. I'd spent enough time inside Carling Arts to notice many (all?) of the little details that one might easily overlook if not observant. From the characters lining the inside of the adorable doorway awning to the sticker machine out front, there's a lot to see here if you enter with your eyes wide open.
As charming as Larkspur's Magnolia Avenue shopping area already is, the arrival of Carling Arts has brought things up a notch in the most whimsical, fun, and art-filled way imaginable. read more