Draw, paint, or mix up your media on a postcard-sized paper and mail it to Wet Paint! We’re putting together an exhibition of mail art from our friends and fans wherever they may be. As postcards arrive, we will photograph them to share on our social media pages and then display them in our storefront windows.
There’s no limit to how many postcards you can send, but in order to participate, postcards have to arrive at Wet Paint via our friendly postal carrier – – no dropping them off at the store! Don’t forget to sign your postcard(s) and let us know how to reach you. We want to make sure we’re crediting you when we post the work online.
General Guidelines:
-We are a family-friendly shop, so please tailor your images & words to be suitable for viewers of all ages.
-We reserve the right to not display postcards that we feel are inappropriate for this activity.
-All artwork must be original.
-In order to have your postcard displayed in our windows, you’ll need to have it postmarked by August 14th, 2020.
-All participating mail art must arrive at Wet Paint via US Mail.
-Keep in mind that postcards will “wear” a bit depending on how far they travel- which is part of the fun of mail art!
-Contact your local post office for shipping and postage information.
-Send one or send one every week! We’ve got big windows!
Wet Paint Address:
Wet Paint Summer Postcard Project 1684 Grand Ave St. Paul, MN 55105
We decided early on in this pandemic that our first priority is to protect our staff and customers as best we can. Even though we received a “Critical Sector” exemption from the Office of the Governor, we opted to close completely for two weeks. And when we have been open, we’ve only done “contactless” business…curbside pickup, shipping and delivery. Well, now the Governor of Minnesota has allowed the “lockdown” order to expire after many weeks and a couple of extensions, and retail stores now have the option to bring in their employees and customers while following safety guidelines. What will this mean for Wet Paint?
Darin and I have discussed this with other stores locally and with our friends at art stores around the country. That’s been very enlightening, as each state moves through this at a different rate and every store is different. Uniformly, though, we are agreed that the nature of this pandemic hasn’t changed. While our hospitals are better prepared for more cases than they were in early April there is still a real and significant risk from this disease to our community and our staff. If infection rates change we might be back into a restricted status at some point, potentially in cycles, for quite a while. We expect that a large number of our customers will still prefer to shop with us without the additional risk of coming into the store so we will need to continue to offer curbside pickup and delivery. We are operating with a reduced staff and have altered many of our processes to make our current system as efficient as possible. Opening our front door to meter in a few people at a time to browse would require additional resources that we frankly don’t have to keep everyone protected…and the shopping experience would be pretty crappy, since we’ve reconfigured everything to make curbside pickup and delivery work well.
So, we will continue to do our very best to provide great service and products via our contactless methods, and will absolutely innovate everywhere that we can to make that better. But until something significant changes in the way this virus behaves, or can be treated or prevented, we will continue doing business as we have been doing. Thanks for your support and thanks for keeping art in your life.
We’re back! Although we received a “Critical Sector” exemption from the Office of the Governor prior to the original “Stay at Home” decree, we thought it was in the best interests of our community to go dark for two weeks…it wasn’t an easy decision, but we all have to do our part, right? Scott and I still came into the shop every day to work on projects and respond to customer questions via e mail, and many of those questions were the same: “Why aren’t you open?” A lot of people are depending on us for their school, professional, and “stay at home” supplies! So…we’re gonna try to strike a balance: abundance of caution meets pandemic-style retailing:
We’ll be on site 10:00am – 5:00pm Monday thru Saturday. Place your orders on our website, via e mail, or by phone during these hours. We have minimal staffing, so thanks for your patience!
Orders received by 1:00pm will be available for curbside pickup after 2:00pm.*
Need your order delivered? Delivery to addresses in Minneapolis or St. Paul is free for orders over $50.00.**
We look forward to safely serving your creative supply needs…thanks for your continued support!
Darin
*More about curbside pickup: Pickup hours are from 2:00-5:00 only. After we confirm your pickup will be ready, head on over during that time. Call the store when you arrive and we’ll place your order on the pickup table outside our front door.
**More about delivery: If we have it in stock, we’ll deliver your $50+ order to your Minneapolis or St. Paul address within 24 hours. Live outside of the core cities? We can still deliver for a nominal fee…let’s talk!
In compliance with Governor Walz’ “Stay at Home” order for the State of Minnesota, we’re planning to close Wet Paint from Saturday, March 28th thru Sunday, April 12th, unless we’re asked by the state to continue providing services to the community. We’ll send an update outlining the scope of these services if we receive this request.
For today, we’re open for curbside pickup or shipping of orders placed over the phone, on our website (www.wetpaintart.com), or e mailed (sales@wetpaintart.com) from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Same thing tomorrow. If you need creative supplies to get you thru the next two weeks, we’re still here for you.
Please note that our custom picture framing services have been suspended for both consultation and production during this time. Custom work will resume as soon as we are able.
If nothing else changes, we will reopen on Monday, April 13th, when the “Stay at Home” order has concluded with this same level of service – curbside pickup & shipping, no browsing, with the eventual goal of bringing all of our staff back & reopening the store for browsing – back to “normal” – when the bars and restaurants reopen in Minnesota (tentatively scheduled by the Governor for May 1st at 5:00pm).
One week ago seems like six months ago with everything that’s happened in the past seven days. Most of us have never known the kinds of upheaval that – by many accounts – is just getting started. Many students and professionals are now setting up to work from home as best they can. If drawing, painting, or writing is part of your plan to weather the uncertainty of the times, we’re planning to be here to help. For now, that means we’re in the building from 10:00am-5:00pm daily fulfilling your phone, web, and e mailed orders thru curbside pickup while the sales floor is closed for browsing. We’re also shipping orders Monday thru Friday. Contact us with your needs or questions.
Most of our suppliers have closed, but there’s still a trickle of new supplies coming in. Many of you asked about paint-by-numbers kits and sidewalk chalk; we should have both in the next few days. We’re still well stocked on Ukrainian Easter egg supplies, relief printing supplies, and coloring books…perennial fun projects. And just because the store is closed for browsing, that doesn’t mean you can’t window shop…we’ve loaded the windows with all sorts of things to tempt you when you stroll by. Need other ideas? Watch our social media, or call for personal shopping services.
Just like you, we’re all nervous about the future and anxious to get back to a place of security and normalcy. Hopefully these temporary disruptions get us back to that place, healthily and hastily.
Wet Paint is open…kind of! We’re here to answer your calls and e mails, and fulfill your orders from 10am – 5pm daily, but the sales floor is temporarily closed for browsing. You can still get the creative supplies you need to continue working thru the pandemic, you just gotta order them for curbside delivery (pickup starting at noon each day) or UPS/USPS shipping (Monday thru Friday). We’ll even deliver…call to discuss details.
But browsing is half the fun!?! We can help. Browse (and order from) www.wetpaintart.com. Choose the “curbside delivery” shipping option if you want to pick up your order, UPS/USPS if you want it shipped. If you’re not already, follow us on social media(Facebook, Instagram). We’ll be “virtually browsing” the shelves several times a day to entice you with possibilities. Finally, put us to work as your personal shoppers…call or e mail what you want to do/make/achieve and we’ll pull together a selection of supplies that will get you there.
How does this curbside delivery thing work? E mail us at sales@wetpaintart.com (preferred), order at www.wetpaintart.com or call us at 651-698-6431 to place your order. All orders for curbside pickup will be followed up by phone or email to confirm stock, and/or notify of pickup ready status. Then, drive (or stress-walk) to Wet Paint any time after noon and call when you arrive…we’ll run your order out with respectful social distancing.
We’re closing the sales floor to protect the health of our employees and our community. The hardest part (of the many hard parts) of this decision is that I had to temporarily lay off most of our staff…friends, brothers & sisters all. Even though we know they’re coming back, it ranks right up there with “putting best friend to sleep” as the worst thing I’ve ever had to do. More positively, we’re all healthy and – hopefully – the steps we’ve taken will keep us that way. And, we have the very best customers in the world…so much support from friends old & new, from near & far. It’s humbling…and so needed, so appreciated.
I promised a little bit of inspiration. We were gonna skip the “e blast” this weekend, because…whatever. We’re just gonna hunker down and tend to the curb. But we changed our minds. This is a cool & inspiring story, and it’s something new. Happy First Day of Spring, y’all. -Darin
Three years ago, John Sabraw walked into Gamblin with a dream. His dream was to restore life to the most polluted rivers in America and, in so doing, create new pigments that painters and others could use to create art. This set is the realization of John’s vision. Every speck of pigment in these three tubes – Rust Red, Brown Ochre, & Iron Violet – has been painstakingly reclaimed from waters tainted by iron released from mines. Iron oxides make lightfast, natural, and safe oil paints. We want to put them where they belong. On your palette.
My hope was that we could keep things normal at Wet Paint, so we could all maintain that little piece of comfortable sameness; keeping things normal didn’t last very long, I’m sorry to say. With the “shelter in place” decree in the Bay Area on Monday (and the same rumored for NYC later this week), and the closing of bars, restaurants and the Mall of America right here at home, it’s increasingly obvious that – for the health and safety of our people, our customers, and our community – we need to close Wet Paint to browsing.
Our last – shortened – day of regular shopping for a while will be tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18th. Starting on Thursday, March 19th , our “new normal” will be a skeleton crew on hand daily to fulfill your curbside pickup and web orders…you can still get art supplies, you just can’t come into the store to get ‘em. How long does this last? I wish we knew.
Wednesday, March 18th
Open 10:00am – 5:00pm for browsing, curbside delivery, and web sales
Thursday, March 19th until ???
Taking orders via email: sales@wetpaintart.com (preferred) or phone: 651-698-6431 starting at 10:00am.
Orders fulfilled via curbside delivery from noon – 5:00pm All orders for curbside pickup will be followed up by phone or email to confirm stock, and/or notify of pickup ready status.
As pandemic best practices are changing daily, I want to update our friends and community on what’s going on at Wet Paint. First, I want to thank everyone that made Wet Paint a part of their weekend errands the last few days…we were really busy with folks stocking up for hunkering down. Speaking for Scott and the entire staff, I truly can’t say enough about how much your support means to us.
If you didn’t make it in – and you need art supplies – we’re here for you: Monday-Friday 10-8, Saturday & Sunday 10-6. As noted above, best practices are changing daily…our schedule might at some point, too.
We’re washing our hands, wiping down surfaces, and social distancing. Besides these considerations, things seem almost normal at the shop…but they’re not, of course. We worry about the unknown and the worst case scenarios. We worry about people we know & love getting sick and what we can do to prevent that. The Minnesota Department of Health is recommending that people who are 70 and older, or people of any age who are currently sick or have underlying health conditions that put them at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, should stay home and avoid gatherings or other situations of potential exposures. Whether you fit this description, or just feel nervous about shopping, here’s a few ideas for keeping your creativity flowing while also staying safe:
Shop wetpaintart.com 24/7. We’re still shipping daily.
Not sure what you want, but know you need a few “projects” on hand? We’ve hand selected a few assortments for your consideration (below). If you’re not seeing what you want, give us a call…a personal shopper is at your service! 651-698-6431
If you’re in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area and want to pick up your order while minimizing exposure to others, choose “Curbside Pickup” as your shipping option; give us a call when you arrive and we’ll run your order out to your car.
We’re not equipped for full-scale delivery services, but if you need supplies and can’t get to us, we might be able to get to you. Give us a call and we’ll try to figure it out!
Wishing you peace-of-mind and comfort in these uncertain times,
Interesting times, eh? With so much uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we thought we should check in with the Wet Paint Community with a “State of the Store” address. The short version: as long as we’re able to keep things normal, we will. This means regular store hours will be observed, and the great mix of creative supplies and knowledgeable service you’ve come to expect will be unchanged.
We’re observing current best practices as directed by the CDC, WHO and Minnesota Department of Health. As these guidelines change, we’ll change our protocols along with them. For now, we’re washing our hands often. We’re wiping down frequently touched surfaces…frequently. If our people get sick, they’re staying home (yes, we have paid time off!). So far, so good.
It’s terribly unsettling to live amongst so many changes & unknowns; thru your continued support, we’re hoping to maintain a little piece of familiarity amongst the uncertainty of the coming weeks.
A note from our Programming Manager, Virginia McBride about classes and events at Wet Paint:
“In line with recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health that were announced today, Wet Paint will be postponing/rescheduling all classes and events that were originally to take place in the next few weeks.
I will be coordinating with each instructor as our options start opening up again and notify all participants of the new dates. I will be working through the class list in order of occurrence. You will automatically be transferred to those new class dates when they are set with the option to receive store credit to be used on another class within one year.
Thanks for your love of classes at Wet Paint and your patience as we work out all the details.”
(Re)Visit the Wet Paint Weekly Workouts
Looking for something creative to do while at home? Why not check out the Wet Paint Weekly Workouts! We created these a few years ago, but the Workouts are still a fun way to get those creative juices flowing! All of these are archived on our blog and select Workouts will be posted on our social media over the next few weeks, so feel free to join us (virtually) by sharing your work or cheering on those who are. Happy arting!
National Craft Month is the perfect opportunity to celebrate an artist who honors folk art traditions, both through her connection to the craft and her dedication to teaching others. Julie Anderson has worked with various forms of decorative painting since the late 1980s; in addition to Rosemaling (a tradition based in Norway), she also works the style of dalamalning/kurbits (originating from Sweden) and bauernmalerei (German). She has studied with master American, Norwegian and Swedish artists including mentors Ann Nilsson, Judy Kjenstad and Shirley Evenstad. Julie teaches classes regularly at Wet Paint, an art supply store in St. Paul, MN, as well as Community Education. She has also taught at the Vesterheim Museum’s Folk Art School.
A Craft Rooted in Culture
Before we learn more about Julie’s work and relationship with Wet Paint: what exactly is Rosemaling? Rosemaling is a traditional form of decorative folk art with an artisanal background that originated in the rural valleys of Norway, featuring stylized designs inspired by metalwork, carving and embroidery. Key elements include flowing patterns of curves, lines and swirls that often incorporate natural elements like flowers or landscapes. As early as 1750, rural folk decorated everyday objects with the classic S lines, C lines, flowers and stems, transforming dark, interior spaces into colorful works of art. Surfaces they painted on included hope chests, clocks, corner cabinets, walls and ceilings and chairs.
Julie first discovered the craft (or as she puts it, the craft “adopted” her) in the late 1980s when her friend Ann was going to start teaching a Rosemaling community education class. Ann needed one more student to enroll in the class, and she asked Julie to join. Julie hadn’t done any art since high school, but had always loved art; she took the class, and her relationship with the craft began.
What got you hooked?
“Part of what I love is the history of the craft. It requires study of historical artwork, to understand the structure of the design. It’s also very challenging: you can’t just sit down and do it, it takes practice and diligence. I really enjoy that kind of challenge.
What is something unique to Rosemaling artists?
“We really pay attention to the objects we paint. There is the connection between the wood, brush and the materials. The wood piece will often influence the design work. For example, the way the piece is structured or the way a bowl is turned will impact the design. Sometimes woodenware (a wooden object) will sit in my studio, un-painted as I’m still bonding with it and deciding what would work best.How will different design elements work best on the object? What components do I want in the different spaces? If you have a trunk, a corner cupboard. Each aspect of the piece needs to be considered in designing and executing the painting.”
What are some of your favorite pieces you’ve done?
“There are a couple of pieces that I am really connected to. A tankard (or pitcher) that was constructed by Dick Enstad and designed by Shirley Evenstad. I painted it in her class. Another one is a piece I painted with Torun Rod Frasund when she came in from Norway to teach at Vesterheim, Norwegian American Museum, she is the fifth generation Rosmaler from the Bergen area. I have a plate that I painted with her in my kitchen…I would do a better job of it now, but it’s one of those things that is so bright, so cheery, it makes me happy.”
Talking to Julie about her love of Rosemaling, the role of community is apparent. Not only does she quote her mentors and reference the influence of history, when she describes a current project she is working on it is clear that the practice inspires connection. Her daughter loves to cook; so she designed a cookbook holder, had it built by woodworker Mike Lusk, and she’s painting it right now. An intricate process, from the designer, the woodworker, the painter and the person it is created for, infuses individual objects with a collective meaning.
Tankard made by woodworker Dick Enstad, painted by Julie
What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?
“People tend to underestimate how they use creativity in their lives. Teaching and being able to share what I know gives me an opportunity to show others their creativity. I get to talk about color theory, art, design, history, heritage. Someone always has a fun story about their connection to the craft. There is something really wonderful about seeing that connection.”
What are typical challenges your students discover?
“There are a lot of people who will come in, take a class or two and think, ‘I’m going to paint a chest for every grandchild’ or ‘I am going to decorate my kitchen.’ And then they realize, ‘Oh, this is going to be more challenging than I thought.’
Rosemaling looks simple, but it is quite complicated. Eye-hand coordination is very important. When your painting is done, the linework is what really brings it all together. You end up with three major layers: the surface that has been prepared in a color, the initial design and the linework.”
How do you help students navigate that initial hurdle?
“One of my mentors, Judy Kjenstad always says, when someone looks at a piece, first we see color, then design, then technique. People want to jump to the technique. But if you got a great design and colors you love, you are doing okay! A few imprecise strokes actually make it more handmade. The imperfection is appealing.”
Julie tells me more about the connection people have to heritage when it comes to this craft:
“It’s not uncommon for me at all to have students who have Rosemaling in their home and have family members who painted it. Students will have had a piece that came in with their family from immigration, or they had a family member who actually painted. But that’s not always the case, I mean, I don’t have Norwegain or Swedish heritage, I like to say I’ve just been adopted…but because folk art is so prevalent in every country, we all have a feel for it.
What is the wider Rosemaling community like?
“In classes there are opportunities for a little conversation here and there, getting to know each other personally, what is working right or could be changed in the painting, practicing and demonstrating. In the broader community, we’ve got people all over the nation.
People are very open to sharing their expertise…there isn’t a lot of ‘territory,’ because individuals develop their own signature and style and you can usually can tell who painted a piece.”
What’s your signature, then?
“Fairly precise. I want it to be representative of original work. There are times where I do like to totally break tradition. One example was when I decorated Virginia’s Sorel boots at Wet Paint!”
What is your studio practice like, outside of teaching?
“I work full-time so I’ll snatch an hour here and there. I have a dedicated studio space in my basement. If I have it set up I’m more likely to go and paint. I almost always give an ornament to family members each year. They make for a very elegant gift. The ornament classes at Wet Paint are actually very appealing to all kinds of students as I believe they find them approachable and a great way to give Rosemaling a try.”
Okay, now I’m itching to try it! What do people need to get started?
Wooden surface, though other options can be used
2 round brushes: a good strokework brush 4 or 6 and liner brush
Palette and palette knife
7 essential colors of paint: Titanium White, Yellow Ochre (or Oxide, either is fine), Raw Umber, Mars Black, Prussian Blue, Burnt Sienna and Red Oxide (Venetian Red or English Red any toned red will work). For green mixes, add Cadmium Yellow Light, Hansa Yellow Light or another Cadmium Yellow substitute.
Paper towels
Chalk
Background paint and background painting brush
Sandpaper
Acrylic medium if working with acrylic, boiled linseed oil if working with oil paint
Cleaner for brushes, water for acrylic and solvent for oil
Varnish
Julie points out that Wet Paint classes are really conducive—not just for painting (the supplies are right there!), but for networking and building community. Rosemaling classes are offered throughout the year at Wet Paint. Julie’s Rosemaling Brush Techniques class, offered quarterly, is a great starting point if you are new or returning to Rosemaling.
There’s no limit to how many postcards you can send, but in order to participate, postcards have to arrive at Wet Paint via our friendly postal carrier – – no dropping them off at the store! Don’t forget to sign your postcard(s) and let us know how to reach you. We want to make sure we’re crediting you when we post the work online.
We decided early on in this pandemic that our first priority is to protect our staff and customers as best we can. Even though we received a “Critical Sector” exemption from the Office of the Governor, we opted to close completely for two weeks. And when we have been open, we’ve only done “contactless” business…curbside pickup, shipping and delivery. Well, now the Governor of Minnesota has allowed the “lockdown” order to expire after many weeks and a couple of extensions, and retail stores now have the option to bring in their employees and customers while following safety guidelines. What will this mean for Wet Paint?
One week ago seems like six months ago with everything that’s happened in the past seven days. Most of us have never known the kinds of upheaval that – by many accounts – is just getting started. Many students and professionals are now setting up to work from home as best they can. If drawing, painting, or writing is part of your plan to weather the uncertainty of the times, we’re planning to be here to help. For now, that means we’re in the building from 10:00am-5:00pm daily fulfilling your phone, web, and e mailed orders thru curbside pickup while the sales floor is closed for browsing. We’re also shipping orders Monday thru Friday. Contact us with your needs or questions.
As pandemic best practices are changing daily, I want to update our friends and community on what’s going on at Wet Paint. First, I want to thank everyone that made Wet Paint a part of their weekend errands the last few days…we were really busy with folks stocking up for hunkering down. Speaking for Scott and the entire staff, I truly can’t say enough about how much your support means to us.
From the owners, Darin Rinne and Scott Fares:
Looking for something creative to do while at home? Why not check out the 
Before we learn more about Julie’s work and relationship with Wet Paint: what exactly is Rosemaling? 
