Arts & Culture
Fresh Face: Curio. Gallery & Creative Supply
A few steps away from the corner of Chestnut and Prince, you’ll find a new sweet little spot called Curio.
A few steps away from the corner of Chestnut and Prince, you’ll find a new sweet little spot called Curio. Gallery & Creative Supply. Owners Nicole Duquette and Matt Chapman invite the curious to find and create with unique pens, water-soluble graphite, and the famous Blackwing pencils (favored by the likes of Walt Disney and John Steinbeck). You are invited to try them out on creamy paper while Matt and Nicole fill you in on the attributes of their favorite products.
Curio. is a curated collection of supplies that will inspire any artist. One wall of Curio. is stocked with essential art supplies great for PCA&D students across the street where Matt teaches drawing, along with playful, experimental mediums to let artists try a new approach. The other wall of Curio. is the gallery, where artists are invited to exhibit for six weeks, enough to give time for artist talks and workshops beyond First Friday, “the fun whirlwind.” And tucked away is the sketch club, where a few hours a week people can come together with no distractions to draw the still life that is set up for them in an atmosphere that is respectful of every experience level: dabblers, professionals, or curious novices.
Matt and Nicole’s mission is to “make and share artwork.”
They also have a wall of lovely cards for all occasions; some are Nicole’s designs inspired by Lancaster County heritage. (She’s a fan of snail mail who loves to track down vintage stamps.)
Nicole and Matt named their shop and gallery Curio. to pay homage to the curious and the creative who appreciate the feel of a finely turned pencil and the texture of a toothy sheet of cotton paper. They invite you to visit Curio., slow down, and find your inner creative.
