Muse Art And Design

I stopped by on a whim. I like to think I’m crafty and I was in the neighborhood. Lots of inspiration and top quality goodies here. Very friendly staff here. I would definitely recommend this spot.

As so many others have pointed out, this is a fantastic local art store that more than deserves your patronage. They carry all the essentials you’d find at the larger stores in the area, it’s clean and cozy and the place is staffed by some amazing folks. They’re extremely friendly here, and the prices are more than competitive.
The best art supply store in the area!

I like the store!
Is very clean and organized, but doesn’t have a big selection,
prices are pretty much the same of everywhere else.
I added half star because the do a great service listing all the Life Drawing Classes in Portland, good job :-)

This is, so far, my favorite art supply store in Portland. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, great selection of inventory, not to mention it is great to be able to support a local business. It is not a MEGA art store but they always have what I need and in the rare case that they don’t they can always get it for me in a reasonable amount of time. I always enjoy my visits.
Don’t forget to check out the news, community, and resources sections on their web site!

Nice shop with friendly staff. They always have the pen I need and not too filled with trendy impulse buy crap most art stores nowadays are filled with.

For such an allegedly small art supply store, Muse is sure packed with a lot of great stuff.
I came here looking for pens, woodless pencils and other drafting and sketching supplies. I was pleasantly surprised at the variety and depth of inventory! I really had to pull in the reins on making purchases, because I totally felt like the proverbial kid in a candy store.
Also, prices are reasonable.

There are times when I go to an art supply store and feel like the workers there judge my every move. Not in this store though.
The person working there was super friendly and helpful. He even suggested similar products that we might be interested in trying, and alternatives to the brush pens we got. Overall, a nice change to the usual pretentiousness I experience at other art supply stores.
I guess the only negative thing about this store is that their stock is pretty small compared to Blick’s, but their low prices and great customer service makes up for it. They’re good for basic supplies like pens, inks, paper, canvases, etc.
Anyway, definitely try this store out for your art supply needs!

Good cheap shop. Their stock is arguably small if you are a brand loyalist but they really have everything you need right there. Prices are very cheap and often they have sales.
While I love the shop, they don’t open until a soft 11am– which causes me to just drive to down town or anywhere in the surrounding area to get art supplies at 9am. They also close at 6pm– making it near impossible to come until they are basically closing.

This place is amazing, the staff is helpful and the store is small, but I found most of the supplies I need. I don’t really have a complaint except for the parking and they didn’t have a certain brand of a marker I needed, but my experience going there was a good one. Defiantly a store worth going to.

These 5 stars are for their exemplary customer service.
I’m not an artist or hobbyist of this nature, so I can’t fairly speak to the quality and selection of the majority of their products, but the kindness and professionalism of their staff would lead me to trust them.
I was looking for a pencil… not just a #2 but one that would last and fit my specific needs. The staff took time to show me several options. I told them I was looking for the «perfect» pencil, and they helped me find it.
If you need art supplies, this local small business is where to go.

i absolutely love muse! the people working here are always so friendly and cool. they have tons of new, neat stuff every time i come in. plus, lots of upcoming community events! im definitely going to be doing most of my shopping here.

Very grateful to have this locally owned shop in my neighborhood because it means I don’t have to travel far if I need screen printing ink or other specialty art supplies. The staff members I’ve met have been friendly and helpful without being overbearing or hovering. Open on Sundays, too!

I like their motto — EQUIP, INFORM, INSPIRE.
So, my 3 year old daughter and I were watching this totally excellent youtube about 3 year old artworld phenom Aelita Andre. My daughter said, «I want to do THAT.» So, of course, me being the best mom ever, I took a look at the selection of art stores in the portland metro area, and sent out some emails that basically said, «I have a 3 year old, and F tempera paint!» Peter here sent a wonderfully supportive email right back cajoling us to come right in and take a look. We were greeted by Marcus a few days later, who was familiar with this infamous email, who went ahead and pointed us in all these wonderful, different directions.
I am warmed by the smalltown, neighborly feel of the place. I’m a nonpainter myself, and I never feel intimidated to ask retarded questions. Moreover, even though I ask retarded questions, I am not given braindead answers. I’m not exploited here for my technical painting ignorance; nor sold bullshit I don’t need. Marcus and Peter have always been very helpful and conversational, always wondering what to equip us with next. Or inform us of. Or inspire us with.
Well, the prices are decent, the selection is small, but the feeling of the place is what makes it good. You get bubblegum poppin art students behind the counter, glass eyed, at the chainy utrechts, artmedia, blick. You get some pretty thoughtful people showing you their secret stash of Golden acrylic mediums they’re not even selling behind the counter here. You buy some stuff, they throw in some stuff. It’s a pretty old time, well run place. Glad they’re expanding. :)

This store is a little gem. The selection and products on offer are of a high-​end store, but the prices are middle of the road, the space is small yet not too small, and the staff are quick to help but only if you need it.
The result is a store that seems to be small and big at the same time. They have demos, each year April is devoted to «An Artist A Day», where for the month an artist sits in the front window and does a piece in whatever their media are, and the fellow we usually hand the money to works on his drawing in his sketchbook whilst between helping people.
This is one nice little place, and worth your support.

The store is small, but everything is nicely presented and fun to wander around. The guys working the store on the day I came in were helpful, friendly and very focused on making their store the best possible. They have a nice selection of art supplies, journals, papers, and basic writing instruments. The prices are competitive and it is local business that also supports the local arts.

I was really happy with my experience at Muse.
Their store is small, so don’t expect the mall experience. However, if you’re looking for ordinary art supplies (I was after mat board and hinging tape) then they’ll have what you want.
As has been noted, the staff kind of kept to himself until it looked like I needed some help. He then offered to help and stayed with me until I was done. He seemed genuinely interested in hearing me blab on about how I was framing my work for some «big show» and blah blah blah… something he’d no doubt heard a hundred times.
If I lived anywhere near here, it’d be my regular stop for supplies. The prices are virtually the same as at Art Media or Utrecht, and there’s the huge benefit of supporting a local business.

This is my local neighborhood art supply store & despite the size (rather small-​ish), I think it is a great asset to Hawthorne. I have come in here twice now, and each time I have been greeted & treated very well. They are personable, friendly, and very knowledgeable about their stock. I especially appreciate the variety of pencils & watercolor pencils they carry. There is a nice price-​point selection, as well, for those on more meager budgets.
The crafty projects, artists’ trading card series, and «Word of the Day» drawings are fun & engaging for me, as well as for The 3 Musk-​a-​Teers. The selection of brushes also seems to be fairly well represented, tho’ not overwhelming. I appreciate the lighting in this shop! I don’t know about you, but it gives me the heebie-​jeebies shopping in one of those big fluorescent lit chain art supply stores (what in God’s name do they really think art is all about if it involves fluorescent lighting?!)…This shop has a scale that fits my quirky needs. There is no awful Muzak emanating from hidden speakers, and no checkers are blaring out questions for.
«Price check on Isle 3!»
I love that about Muse! It reminds me of my favorite art supply stores in Berkeley, tho’ the people at Muse seem much less affected. They seem to actually like art, artists, and artists’ materials. What a concept!

I stumbled upon this place as I was exploring my new neighborhood and I was delighted. They aren’t big enough to have everything, but they managed to have everything I needed. They are helpful if you ask, but don’t follow you around being clingy.
I will always go here first before resorting to a large chain store. They are better and know their stuff.

Muse Art is a great local/​neighborhood joint to get your supplies, ask the staff questions, or check out the great library. Wonderful!
Bonus: You know an art store is good when their business cards actually look like art — thank you for stopping boring design.

This hole-​in-​the-​wall independently owned art supply store on Hawthorne keeps well-​stocked enough that you’ll feel no need to go buy your goods at a big art-​supply super store. Despite its size, Muse’s selection includes paints, pastels, brushes, paper, sketchbooks, and a small selection of printing supplies.
Each week they feature weekly specials and discounted items, so stop in frequently to find a deal.