I don't know what it is about art shops that make me want to spend all my money, sack off my job,…read moregrow a goatee and start painting again! Do one rent, sod you bills, who needs money! And this shop is no exception. I went in today for some more practical bits & pieces and didn't think I would find anything useful at a reasonable price (for some reason this shop has a reputation for being quite pricey) but I was very pleasantly surprised, not only did I find a great selection of the sketch books I was looking for, but the prices were very reasonable and I bought a pen. If it is possible the man who served me was too helpful. I mean as I walked in the front door the sales assistant was stood right in front of it and asked if he could help, which is fine, I said I was just looking, then he asked again and sometimes, especially in lovely little art shops, you just want to potter around looking at all the bits & bobs. Nevertheless he was very friendly and being helpful isn't a crime.

Bristol Fine Art is a one of those really good shops that i probably have walked past a hundred…read moretimes without realising it was there. I first noticed it when we were in the 2 hour queue for the Banksy Exhibition . We were feeling creative and wanted to try out our graffiti skills so went in search of somewhere that sold Spray Paint. Weirdly Bristol Fine Art didn't sell any which was disappointing, nonetheless we had a snoop around and they sold some really great arty stuff. Prices were pretty reasonable and I have since noticed that they have started to stock spray paint. A great shop to pop into for any arty things, but also for some great gifts as they sell crafts too.

Room212 is Bristol's smallest art gallery, but that's not to underestimate its importance. This…read moregallery ceaselessly provides homespun talent with an opportunity to be seen for a fraction of the price that they would have to pay elsewhere. Exhibitions change weekly and can be joint ventures or individual shows. The space can be booked from as little as £15 for the week and a 5% commission is chargeable on sales. And no, this isn't a typo! I didn't forget to add the zero! All enquiries to Henk: henk.mullen@gmail.com after checking out the lowdown on the website: http://www.room212.co.uk/ Artists man their own shows and are at liberty to open for as little or as long as they like. The savvy ones will post their opening times in the window and on the website. But even if it's not open when you happen to walk past, you can still view all of the pieces being exhibited from the window. It really is that small. If you do have the good fortune to chance upon it when the door is open I recommend that you step inside. You can hope to buy a piece of original art for as little as £10, and gain an intimate knowledge of the pieces on show from the artists themselves. The owner deserves a Knighthood!

Room 212 is the sort of place one can't write a lot about. Not because it lacks any particular…read morestyle or character. In fact it has great deals of both. Rather, because it is dynamic. It is an art space constantly changing. A collective of sorts, each week different artists can use the shop to display their art works. Some will use just the window and open for an hour a day. Others may open all day every day with their doors wide open to the public. And being different artists all the time they all have different contact details too. The one thing I can say is that every time I have walked past this original little number I have walked in. Something about the creativity or the freshness just pulls me in. So if local and independent artists doing their thing is what you like - see if you can walk by without stopping.

Cube Gallery stocks a much more modern and contemporary selection of art pieces than the next door…read more3D Gallery. It's good to pop into both to get a good grasp at the variety on offer, but I find Cube Gallery doesn't quite live up to it's neighbour. I found it cold and uninviting inside, and I wasn't too impressed with their artwork either. Prices are also steep so I would say I am unlikely to find anything that attracts me, but well worth a look inside if you are in the area.

The uninspiring exterior of this art gallery and shop really doesn't promise very much, but…read moreactually once you're inside it hosts some great changing exhibitions of contemporary art by both established and up-and-coming talent. From moody, wintry landscapes and still lifes by Karen Edwards, to colourful, modern 2D and 3D patterns by Peter Monaghan, there's quite a range of contemporary art. I like the paintings by Katie Allen, inspired by the landscapes and changing seasons of South Wales - they contain an overall picture of a landscape, but within this when you look carefully each element is also made up of an intricate abstract pattern. If you enjoy browsing or buying modern pieces, this place is worth a visit - it's expensive, as you'd expect - but there's always a chance that you could pick up a gem by an emerging artist who's set to take the art world by storm.

One of two Bloomsbury shops in Bath, this store specialises in the more expensive and exclusive…read moreitems they have to offer. There's jewellery, furniture and limited edition books to be had at this outlet, located just a two minute walk away from its sister shop! This Bloomsbury on Quiet Street is just that; quieter, slicker and a bit for refined. You don't the 'thrown together' fun that you get from the other store but the quality of the jewellery here is significantly better. Be expected to pay anything upwards of £60 for a necklace and £30 for cufflinks. The staff are slightly more pretentious at this shop, but are equalling willing to help. There are some lovely pieces here, so check it out if you've got a birthday coming up or you want to treat yourself to something a bit special.

I love this jewellery shop and it is definitely my favourite in Bath! It is sister to Bloomsbury's…read morelovely gift shop a street away and has a similar quirky attitude. You won't like this shop if you are a fan of chain store jewellers. The store has a very modern look and sells the work of mostly British jewellery designers - lovely hand made items. Despite some quite pricey stock the shop is not at all intimidating and the staff are friendly and helpful.

Not the best gallery, the admission just for a small area is not worth it. The free part on the…read moresecond floor is pretty interesting. You can roam around freely.

We stopped here for many reasons: it was sweltering out, the permanent collection is free to…read moreperuse, and my mom heard they had a Thomas Gainsborough. Count us in! We were welcomed immediately upon entering and never felt any sense of pressure to hurry through the gallery. If anything, we could have (and maybe should have) stayed a bit longer to take it all in - there's plenty of seats in which to sit back and do so. But I appreciate all that we saw, including (but not limited to): 'The Bride of Death' painting by Thomas Jones Barker (I was taken with all the symbolism within what is essentially one story frame), Edwin Whitney-Smith's 'The Scarab' bronze statue, and - much to my surprise - the white cabinets against the walls of the room that are positively filled with pullout drawers housing watercolors and pencil sketches of Bath, Somerset, and England (one in particular caught my eye: it was the view looking down on Bath from Alexandra Park, and I had literally just come from the same physical vantage point [and couldn't help but compare my modern day phone photo to the piece of art from the 1800's). I am sure that if we were locals that we'd attend any number of the amazing community focused events they host throughout the year as well. Here's the thing: if art is not your thing... don't come. However: if you love art, even if you just kinda like art, if history and/or art are at all fascinating to you, if you only really like one artist and they carry one of their pieces, you should absolutely come here. It's not an all day affair (the gallery is actually quite small), so give yourself an hour or two and enjoy just another corner of how incredible the city of Bath really is.

Amazing street / urban art gallery, with local and international artists on regularly changing…read moreexhibitions with prints to buy. Staff are enthusiastic and friendly. Find the shop near the The Spotted Cow. They are the organisers of the Upfest festival which was seen in the Tobacco Factory up the road, but this year will be sprawling all the way down North Street and should be very exciting - catch that in the first weekend of June. They link with Niche Frames to frame any prints - however I would recommend going to Niche direct as they have a wider range of frames and mounts to view and the experience. See my review of Niche here on Yelp. A gallery called Triple-S was here but I guess I missed it closing and changing to this.

This toy shop and stationary supplier is a very old-established store in frome, having been around…read morefor the best part of a century when it was founded by a Miss Ellen Bray back in olden days. Occupying the old library premises in the Westway Precinct, it's a haven for children of all ages! A large supply of toys large and small, from pocket-money items to bigger top-range items, it carries lego sets and train sets as well as more specialised items. There is also a good little stationary and office supplies section for students needs and bargain packs of copying paper can be had, along with printer cartidges and all other office basics. Very popular for all the latest kids themed items, it's well laid out and a real treasure-trove.

Now now I have only given this two stars because it is not to my taste! But that is not to say it…read moreisn't a useful shop and supportive to artists of Bristol - which it very much is being a co-op and that should be highly applauded. However. This is a street of cool galleries and kitsch shops and it isn't what you would expect. I have been inside a few times over the years and I have never found anything to make me stop. Maybe I'm fussy. Maybe I just like my art more abstract than cute. Personally, I think this is a place to take mums (at the risk of getting a clay cat in hilarious posture for your birthday). Please, go, visit, make up your own mind and write a review here!

Theres a fantastic variety in the Potters shop. I would say it has a brilliant customer service,…read morepeople were helpful with purchases, and could always offer advice. Theres always something there that catches my eye and personally I find it great for gifts for any occasion.