My favorite art store! It can feel a little cramped but only because it is full of so many options for every medium and for any kind of artist. Being a framer myself, i especially enjoy buying yards of their discounted, precut canvas to stretch when I get back home. It is a little out of the ways for me to get to, but it is a NECESSARY stop for me whenever I take my family to Capitola or Santa Cruz. read more

They took the time and fixed my grandmother's picture so beautifully. The picture remains timeless. read more

Lenz Arts - Art Supplies Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This is a wonderful art supply store with a great selection and staff. Dominic helped me right away. He was friendly and knew how to answer my many questions. I enjoyed his professional demeanor and smiling face. He is a 10/10! read more

ANOTHER STELLAR JOB by the great folks at Lenz...my tight time-frame was nicely accommodated in time to complete an important project...great job all!! read more

Excellent quality materials and selection, good prices, knowledgable staff. My favorite art store.

A family owned and operated art supply store that I don't think I could live without. They stock every type of art medium from beginner to fine art. Andy is one of my most favorite people, knowledgeable in all his products and personal with his clients and his staff is friendly and helpful. They are active in the community and offer not only competitive prices but always have rotating items on sale. I have found as many rare brands and selections as common staples to rival any online store and they are happy to order something if they don't stock it. You cannot put a price on familiarity and quality, when many art stores have pared down to only popular items and you have to hunt down an associate, Lenz Arts is the gold standard of value, service, and quality. We are so lucky to have them, that I for one, refuse to buy art supplies online, and am full of dissapointment upon venturing into any other art store. Andy and Lenz Arts staff- You guys are the best, wear it with pride, and never close or I will be forced to a life of artistic mediocrity~ A. Swanson read more

I went to Lenz Arts to buy some supplies for an art project I'm working on. I asked the counter people if they could please direct me to the area of the store where I'd find what I needed. They looked bored and were unsure. A man came over and I asked him. He showed me a display. And asked me some questions. We talked. He was so rude and condescending I was shocked. Lenz used to be a good store. He was so rude that I drove across town to Palace on 41st to spend my money. I rarely encounter any sales people who are this rude. I'm a pleasant, polite person with a good natured personality. I really don't know if he has issues at home and brings them to work or what. He reeked of the sad sense of entitlement that's creeping into downtown Santa Cruz. Which is really unfortunate. The store was empty when I was there and with the attitudes I encountered, will probably stay that way. Everyone I told this experience to commented about how Lenz USED TO BE a good store. I know I'm just one person. They won't go broke because they lost my sale. But it was a big sale. I doubt they'd even care. Don't go here.Spend your hard earned cash elsewhere. read more

The excellent service is noteworthy. The staff is very knowledgeable about their products and where they're located. The merchandise is high quality and there's a range of price options. Needless to say, it's my go-to Mecca! read more

Great almost historical art supply store. Have a selection of everything you could imagine. Helpful staff.

Great service even for a newbie like me. Staff took the time to show me reasonably priced quality items for my foray into watercolor painting. read more

It's a small art store but it's crammed in with most everything you need. I was surprised they had many replacements parts for airbrush guns. read more

I've been shopping at Lenz Arts for decades. Lenz Arts is a family owned and operated business, shopping local matters to me. The friendly staff and owners are amazing. Have you checked out the cool Jimbo Phillips wave mural? It's a popular photo spot. read more

Lenz Arts - Lenz Arts store front - Art Supplies Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I'm so disappointed. Needed framing supplies for multiple prints, and also looking to have one piece custom framed. A nice employee helped me out when I walked in and pointed out where items were, and I browsed hard, starting to make selections for purchase. But then the framer came out from the back, and I guess where I was standing and looking was inconvenient for him, so he let me know, first by walking up behind me hard, and then making it a point to go around me, then a moment later he let me know that he was going to be in the area where I was browsing. It's not like I was cluelessly standing in the middle of an aisle. Okay...sorry to have inconvenienced you by shopping. I gathered up my prints and left, no one said anything. I feel pretty confident that I can find another framing place who will take my money and not subject me to needless attitude. read more

Last visit we got quite a few pens and colored pencils. Love the HUGE selection and that we can buy one at a time instead of a set. So many brands to choose from. read more

I want to thank and applaud the good folks at Lenz Arts (especially Andrew) for helping me mount some diplomas this month. It was a specific task involving the matching of a mounting technique that has gone out of favor in the last decade. Andrew worked with distributors from the east coast to get the job done, and while it took some time, he was very good at keeping me informed every step of the way. It's this kind of attention to detail and personal touch that people remember... and don't experience much anymore. Well done, Lenz Arts. Thank you, Andrew. read more

There's a large selection of high-quality art supplies from all sorts of brands as well as products I wouldn't find in large chain stores. This gives the shopping experience a huge personal feel and often times it makes me feel more motivated to create. The employees are welcoming too! I love this store and it is always a pleasure coming here. read more

This store offers the best in art materials, staff knowledge, and support. This is an all-in-one store that also includes the best framing in Santa Cruz County.! The final touch to any good piece of artwork is a beautiful frame and I am certain awards i have won have been incneased by the excellent framing choices and framers at Lenz. Thanks to everyone for adding to the joy of art and creativity. read more

Fabulous place. This store feels like it's been there forever. Every nook and cranny is filled with art supply goodness. For any artist walking in for the first time it's sensory overload - in the best way! The staff were friendly and helpful. read more

I have loved this store, their great materials, bargains and knowledgeable staff for 30 years. All stuff we could all buy on Amazon but why when you get a real hometown experience. Huge store and great for kids birthday gift ideas and stationary as well as good deals on mats and frames. read more

I could spend hours in this store! Wish they had one in LA. The selection of products was amazing and the prices seemed very fair. Some good sales. So glad a local shop like this is surviving, so if you are local go shop there! Will definitely go back when I have the chance. Great, friendly service. read more

Very pleasant and helpful! Explained options for my framing supply needs and took care of me right away! Thanks!

I appreciate the helter skelter and organized chaos of this place. There is a back area with patterns and desks for sale.....but what I love the most is all of the different types of oil and acrylic paints they have at decent prices. Older staff as opposed to the twenty somethings at Palace. I could spend a good solid 45 minutes in the oil and acrylic aisle.... sigh Pleasant staff... decent prices... excellent selection of paints Happy Camper read more

Great selection and friendly stuff. I really appreciate having a large selection of high quality American made photo frames, that are hard to find elsewhere. read more

Lenz Arts is my happy place!! The staff is friendly and knowledgable. The ​shelves are always stocked. And, they are always carrying new and interesting products. I especially appreciate their generous return policy on some larger items. Every time I go in, I'm impressed by their great prices and helpful team members. ***One downside is that with the construction on the street, parking can be a little tricky...but that's not their fault. read more

I called Lenz to ask how much they would charge me to put plexiglass into my frame instead of glass so that I could mail it to my daughter. Alex said "About forty dollars." When I took it in, they charged me $86. It seemed quite normal apparently to charge more than double the estimate.There was no apology. They said it would be ready by 12. When I went in the new girl who had been given the job said it was not ready; she was having trouble with it. Finally, an hour late, it was ready. I must say they did a good job; better than I expected; the plexiglass looked like real glass. When I was outside putting the frame into a cardboard box for mailing, a young lady came up to me and apologized for her superior's behavior, saying she could have cut the cost by 50% in view of the estimate they had given me. That would have created goodwill that might have earned them thousands over the years. Instead I will in future search diligently for someone more reliable to do my framing. How kind of her to speak to me. I am a senior living from Very little. I told her she might be saving Lenz's reputation. Two days later: Received a call from Andrew Lenz, who apologized and offered to refund 50%! An absolute gentleman. I accepted. Impressive customer care! However, I checked my bank details today, three days later, and no refund has been received. So I sent Lenz an email, asking were they banking on my not checking? And this afternoon I got another call from gentleman Andrew, the owner, saying he had refunded 50% to my visa yesterday, but he understood credit card companies and banks sometimes needed 30 days for such a transaction to be recorded! I believe it. Typical! But I feel like an ogre! read more

Beautiful art supplies shop with expert help! Love this store! Stocked with a huge array of high quality art supplies! AND an incredible selection of handmade paper! read more

I decided to start painting during this time and was so happy to find that Lenz Arts was offering curbside pickup. From start to finish I received phenomenal customer support, the first interaction included submitting a request for what I was looking for. I simply put together a list of what I thought I may need, Ashley and Andrew certainly went above and beyond. Very happy I explored what my options were locally as my preference was to support a local business. I am officially a forever customer. read more

What a fun place to explore! Lenz Arts is jam packed full of high quality arts supplies in different mediums. Please be aware that it is a tight fit in here, but that adds to the fun I guess. Look for the clearance shelf or random for sale items out front. read more

Be very careful shopping here. They sometimes put used, returned items back on the floor. I recently purchased a pile of frames and discovered, when I got home, that one of them was clearly a return from the framing department. There was glue on all of the frame back from where the backing paper had been attached, and there was foam core in the frame instead of the usual cardboard that is in a new product. The hanging-supply bag that comes with readymade frames had been opened, partially used, and the. taped up. And this item was out on the floor! Worse, the woman who rang me up (reddish hair, I'm pretty sure she is a Lenz family member) rang up each frame individually, so she saw that this was not a new item. But she said nothing. I repeat, they put this clearly used thing back out on the floor. At full price. And it's not just frames you have to scrutinize. The mounting tape (hinging tape) I purchased appeared to have been partially used. It was roughly torn at the end and that end was stuck to the roll unevenly. I don't trust this place now. I have used the Lenz framing department many times over the last couple decades. They do just a middling job, for the very high price they charge, but I used them because they were convenient. For special framing jobs I have always taken my art pieces to San Francisco, where the bar is much higher for artistic framing. Lenz Arts gets a lot of business because they are the only store of their kind in Santa Cruz, but the store is hot, often smelly, very stuffy, and is jammed with so much stock that it gives me a headache. And now with this frame thing, I have had enough of the Lenz family. I will be shopping elsewhere. read more

Excellent customer service at Lenz! Thank you! Very knowledgeable and everyone knows their stuff when it comes to art, framing art and paints etc. Thank vb you for taking such great care of me when I walk in at closing time and you still let me in! read more

This is definitely a stopping place for me when I visit downtown. When I was an art student, I used to come here all the time! The staff are helpful and friendly. The selection is great. All kinds of media can be bought here... it's just a little bit expensive. I've compared prices to places in San Jose, and it's definitely cheaper in San Jose for some of the same things. That's not to say that they don't have occasional mark downs that are awesome, though, which is why I come here. Also, I just love the cluttery, artsy feel of this place!! It's an artist's art store. It's truly lovely. read more

If I could give lenz 6 stars I would. It's fabulous. Anybodyy who's anybody in the art circles of Santa Cruz goes to lenz. They have everything. They are the only store in the bay area that I know of who still sells...well maybe I shouldn't tell you...more for me! LOL- No, no I will- they sell scratchboard! Big thick scratchboard with plenty of room for mistakes. They also are the only store that sells the coolest design for a sketchbook ever- it's spiral bound but has a removable spiral so you can take your work out without the risk of rips, tears or tears (you can decide which one of those was a drop of saline solution and which was a forced separation). They also have very impressive customer service. Huzzah! read more

After a nightmare experience with an online frame shop, I wish I had just started with Lenz. I've been in the store on a number of different occasions and been helped by many staff, always attentive, always patient, always kind, always going the extra mile. The best!! read more

I went in as a newbie hoping to get some info on painting, I was helped by Brogan (I'm really sorry if I'm butchering that name), and she was fantastic. She gave me options on paintbrushes and showed me the paints, after I said I wanted to try acrylic she pointed out paints and brushes that were on sale and helped me pick out all the colors I needed. She even told me about an upcoming acrylic demonstration and helped me sign up for it. I went in a little nervous that I wouldn't get all the help I needed, and Brogan went above and beyond anything I could have hoped for. read more

It's a nice store but not as well organised as Palace is. I think it also has a wider range of art supplies than Palace but there are some art supplies that Palace carries that Lenz doesn't. For instance Palace carries Moleskine and Lenz doesn't (if you consider the Moleskine sketchbook an art supply). Lenz is not as fun to browser through because it's so cramped and some stuff are behind counters so you can't really go behind the counter to look. The staff here however are top notch. Much more friendly than Palace (Santa Cruz) staff in general. There is this one young lanky dude at Palace who has tattoo on his fingers and he has a real attitude problem. He's rather intimidating! read more

I love this place. I was taking on a big project and the people here were beyond helpful, they even gave me some great suggestions about methods I could try that would finish the project faster and were more budget friendly than I had anticipated. I spoke with Andrew and Louise and have absolutely nothing negative to say about that interaction at all. Wonderful (smart) people and a huge selection of acrylic paints. read more

Took my UCSC student for her art supplies and we had such amazing service. They had everything we needed at competitive prices, but the additional huge bonus of expert advice from a friendly, knowledgeable salesperson who was also not at all pushy. So appreciated the entire experience, and we'll be buying all of our art supplies from here! Also, love that it's locally owned business, and not a chain. read more

tl;dr, above-excellent framing shop, but you may be in for a wait. I recently had two pieces framed here, an art print and a movie poster. The staff went through all the options I had for these in great detail, explaining the options and being very kind with my obvious desire for a good, but very basic, framing job. It's obvious that anything you need or want, they should be able to provide, and/or give advice if what you think you want is wrong. The quality of the work is simply perfect. Both pieces came out beyond my expectations, and they look great. The pricing was good, too; both pieces were done, with great quality, for less than either piece was worth alone. The only reason I can't give them a full five stars is because the time it took to get the final result. I was initially promised about a month of turnaround, which they admitted was on the longer side for them due to load and staffing issues, but it took a full two-and-a-half months to finally get both pieces finished. I know this isn't really their fault: the perfect storm of supply, staff, and workload just meant that they couldn't get it back to me any sooner. So, manage your expectations! The work will be excellent, exercise your patience. read more

This place is the best! Truly...... Everyone here wants to help you, how nice is that. I look forward to my Lenz visits weekly. Thank You read more

They have just about everything, including expertise. They often mitigate the high cost of good artist materials with specials, and with an educator discount (I'm a teacher). I'm very lucky to have a ready supply of oil painting materials just minutes from my home. read more