The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply

HISTORY

If you are an artist and you need a good place to get supplies, The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply is the place to go. The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply was founded by Heather Farmer in 2023, but it's not the first business to be in that building. The oldest part of the building was opened in 1930 as a car dealership, but only 10 years later in 1940 the building became a paper warehouse with a barbershop in it. But things continued to change when in 1955 the paper house shut down and became an Army Navy Surplus, which is the part of the building that the Bloomington Fine Arts Supply is currently in. The Army Navy Surplus would change its name to Hoosier Workwear Out  and go on to be open for over 60 more years. The business closed its doors in 2021, one year before the plans for the building you are currently looking at began.

After the closure of the Pygmalion's art store there was a need for a new one in Bloomington. Plans for the Bloomington Fine Arts Supply began during the pandemic by Heather Farmer, an IU alumni. Heather Farmer had worked in the IU field for around a decade. But she had ideas for the creative space before real business plans took place. The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply officially opened in November 2023. Heather Farmer talked about how she designed the Bloomington Fine Arts Supply to be a bright place with big windows. She wanted it to be a place for all kinds of artists.  

ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY

The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply is a community art space, and they participate in many local events. It’s also a great space for artists to go if they need materials. They sell many things such as pencils, specialty paper, inks, sketchbooks, paints, brushes, and canvases. The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply sources their materials from many different places, like trusted manufacturers in the U.S. and Europe, and specialty manufacturers in Japan and South Korea. They offer high quality materials for everyone from beginners to professionals, as well as tools for printmaking, sculpting, and street art. They also offer classes taught by local artists, and kids programming. The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply is a great place for people to share, sell and make art, and it is woman-owned and run by artists. As mentioned before, they participate in a bunch of local events, such as working with Wonderlab for Science Night Out, and Lotus Education and Arts Foundation for community art projects. They are an official stop on the First Friday Gallery Walk, and have ongoing collaborations with Wildcare, Ivytech, Beacon Inc, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, and other nearby nonprofits. They also partner with the Exodus Refugee Organization as well as sponsoring the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. In conclusion, the Bloomington Fine Arts Supply is a space for creativity and trying something new.

SUMMARY

• 1930: The oldest part of the building opened as a car dealership.

• 1940: The building re-opens as a paper warehouse.

• 1955: The building becomes an Army Navy Surplus.

• 2021: The Army Navy Surplus closes.

• 2023: The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply opens.

• It is a place to sell, make, and share art.

• It is woman-owned and run by artists.

• They provide quality art supplies like brushes, paints, sketchbooks, canvases, etc.

• They source their materials from trusted manufacturers all over the world.

• The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply offers materials for both beginners and professionals.

• It has classes taught by local artists and kids programming.

• The Bloomington Fine Arts Supply often hosts community events.

• They often collaborate with nearby nonprofits.

• They sponsor the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra.

• They participate in local events with Wonderlab and other places.