Wet Paint
Wet Paint is an independent, locally-owned art supply retailer founded in 1976 in St. Paul, Minnesota, operating a single retail storefront and a BigCommerce-powered e-commerce site selling artist-grade paints, brushes, paper, canvas, craft materials, and framing supplies to individual artists, hobbyists, students, and educational institutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Wet Paint does
Wet Paint (legally Wet Paint Artists' Materials and Framing) is an independent, locally-owned art supply retailer founded in 1976 in St. Paul, Minnesota, and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. The company sells a broad catalog of artist-grade materials organized into roughly a dozen categories — paint (acrylic, oil, watercolor, gouache, encaustic), brushes, paper and pads, canvas and surfaces, 3D/sculpting materials, drawing and writing supplies, craft materials, kids' products, printmaking, framing supplies, and studio equipment — carrying hundreds of branded SKUs from suppliers including Winsor & Newton, Golden, Daniel Smith, Holbein, Gamblin, M. Graham, Schmincke, Strathmore, and Montana. Distribution runs through a single physical storefront at 1684 Grand Avenue (open seven days a week) and a BigCommerce-powered e-commerce site (wetpaintart.com) that ships nationally with free shipping on orders $99+.
The business model is direct-to-consumer retail. Customers are primarily individual artists, hobbyists, and students at all levels (K-12 through university), with a secondary stream of B2B school kit supply to named educational institutions (Boston College, University of Minnesota, Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art, Art Academy). Pricing is unit-based on a pay-as-you-go basis, with no subscriptions, licenses, or contracted recurring revenue disclosed. Ancillary services include custom framing, in-store events and classes, and community programming such as the 13th Annual Summer Postcard Project. The entire staff is composed of working artists, which the company presents as its central differentiator.
Technology is limited to the BigCommerce e-commerce platform; no proprietary technology, mobile app, API, AI, or data assets are disclosed. Ownership has remained local and independent since founding, with no institutional investors, PE backing, parent company, or M&A activity documented for Wet Paint Artists' Materials and Framing itself (a separately incorporated entity named Wet Paint Group, focused on corporate gifting and brand activations, was acquired by Boundless in April 2026 — this is a distinct company from the art supply retailer profiled here). Revenue, employee count, and order volumes are not publicly disclosed.
Wet Paint firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wet Paint
- Legal name
- Wet Paint Artists' Materials and Framing
- Website
- https://wetpaintart.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Wet Paint is an independent, locally-owned art supply retailer founded in 1976 in St. Paul, Minnesota, operating a single retail storefront and a BigCommerce-powered e-commerce site selling artist-grade paints, brushes, paper, canvas, craft materials, and framing supplies to individual artists, hobbyists, students, and educational institutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wet Paint industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Art Supplies Retail
- SIC
- Pens, Pencils & Other Artists' Materials (3950)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art & Drafting Supplies Retail (CRALABAG)
Keywords
Where Wet Paint is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wet Paint business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail product sales: Sells a wide range of art supplies including paints, brushes, papers, canvases, craft materials, and framing services directly to consumers through both physical retail and online channels.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual consumer purchases |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Wet Paint product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wet Paint is a locally owned and independent art supply retailer operating a single physical storefront in St. Paul, Minnesota, alongside an e-commerce website. The company sells professional-grade art supplies across categories including paints, brushes, paper, canvas, surfaces, drawing and writing supplies, craft materials, kids' art supplies, studio equipment, printmaking supplies, and framing materials from brands such as Winsor & Newton, Golden, Daniel Smith, Holbein, Gamblin, and M. Graham. It also provides custom framing services, curated school kits for educational institutions, and in-store art classes and community events.
Product overview
Wet Paint is an art supplies retailer operating primarily as an e-commerce platform (built on BigCommerce) for artists and crafters. The core offering is an extensive catalog of art materials organized into categories: paint (acrylic, oil, watercolor, gouache, encaustic, spray), brushes, 3D materials, paper and pads, canvas and surfaces, drawing supplies, craft materials, kids' products, printmaking, framing supplies, and studio equipment. The company carries hundreds of branded products from suppliers like Winsor & Newton, Golden, Daniel Smith, Holbein, Gamblin, M. Graham, Montana, and many others. Physical retail location in St. Paul, MN has operated since 1976, open 7 days/week. Additional services include school kits (partnering with Art Academy, Boston College, Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art, U of M), events and classes. Wet Paint Group, a corporate gifting and live activation subsidiary, was acquired by Boundless (Counselor Top 40 distributor) in April 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Retail Art Supplies Storefront & E-Commerce Catalog A retail offering (in-store and online at wetpaintart.com) of professional-grade art supplies across categories including paints, brushes, paper, canvas, surfaces, drawing and writing supplies, 3D/sculpting materials, craft supplies, kids' art supplies, studio equipment, printmaking materials, and framing supplies from brands such as Winsor & Newton, Golden, Daniel Smith, Holbein, Gamblin, M. Graham, Montana, Strathmore, Arches, Fabriano, and others. Sold directly to individual artists, hobbyists, students, and crafters via the St. Paul storefront or the BigCommerce-powered e-commerce site.
- Custom Framing Services & Framing Supplies In-store custom framing services for finished artwork together with retail framing supplies (boards and framing accessories) for professional and amateur framers, offered at the St. Paul retail location.
- School Kits Program Curated, pre-assembled art supply kits supplied directly to educational institutions including Boston College, U of M, Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art, and Art Academy for use by their art students.
- In-Store Events and Art Classes Art classes and community events hosted at the St. Paul retail storefront for artists of all skill levels, supporting the local art community and complementing the retail and framing offerings.
Companies that use Wet Paint
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wet Paint technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wet Paint partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Wet Paint competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Plaza Art: New York-based independent art supplies retailer with both physical locations and e-commerce, focused on professional artists, students, and schools. Directly comparable assortment and educational customer overlap.
- Dick Blick (Blick Art Materials): Largest US specialty art supplies retailer with national retail stores and e-commerce. Sells the same premium artist paint, brush, paper, and canvas brands (Winsor & Newton, Golden, Gamblin, Strathmore) that Wet Paint carries, serving the same individual artists, students, and educators.
- Cheap Joe's Art Stuff: Independent art supplies retailer selling artist paints, brushes, papers, and instructional materials via catalog, web, and a North Carolina retail location. Similar independent/specialty positioning with comparable customer profile of artists and hobbyists.
- Jerry's Artarama: Multi-channel art supplies retailer (catalog, web, retail stores) selling artist-grade paint, brushes, canvas, and framing. Directly comparable in assortment, customer base (artists and students), and educational outreach via art education content.
- Utrecht Art Supplies: Historic US art supplies retailer (now owned by Dick Blick) selling premium paints, brushes, papers, and canvas to professional artists, students, and schools. Closely matched product mix and educational customer base to Wet Paint.
- Artist & Craftsman Supply: Multi-store independent art and craft supply chain in the eastern US carrying artist paints, brushes, drawing materials, and craft supplies. Closely comparable retail format and customer base to Wet Paint's physical + e-commerce model.
Broad incumbents
- School Specialty: Leading US distributor of educational supplies and classroom art materials to K-12 schools and districts. Closely comparable to Wet Paint's school kit program but operates at much larger B2B/contract scale.
- JOANN: National fabric and craft retailer (recently emerged from bankruptcy in 2025) carrying a broad assortment including artist paint, brushes, and craft supplies. Adjacent craft/creative-customer overlap rather than direct fine-art competition.
- Michaels Companies: Largest US specialty craft retailer with 1,000+ stores carrying art supplies as a major category alongside framing, crafts, and home decor. Overlaps Wet Paint on artist paint, brushes, and canvas but serves a much broader, more mass-market customer.
- Hobby Lobby: National chain of 900+ arts, crafts, and home decor superstores carrying artist paints, brushes, and craft supplies. Overlaps Wet Paint on art and craft categories but at a much broader, mass-market scale.
Market position
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wet Paint social profiles
Digital presenceWet Paint financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wet Paint leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Wet Paint funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wet Paint M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wet Paint
What does Wet Paint do?
Wet Paint is a locally owned and independent art supply retailer operating a single physical storefront in St. Paul, Minnesota, alongside an e-commerce website. The company sells professional-grade art supplies across categories including paints, brushes, paper, canvas, surfaces, drawing and writing supplies, craft materials, kids' art supplies, studio equipment, printmaking supplies, and framing materials from brands such as Winsor & Newton, Golden, Daniel Smith, Holbein, Gamblin, and M. Graham. It also provides custom framing services, curated school kits for educational institutions, and in-store art classes and community events.
Is Wet Paint a public or private company?
Wet Paint is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Wet Paint founded?
Wet Paint was founded in 1976. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Wet Paint based?
Wet Paint is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wet Paint make money?
One revenue line is on record: retail product sales.
Who are Wet Paint's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Plaza Art, Dick Blick (Blick Art Materials), Cheap Joe's Art Stuff, Jerry's Artarama, Utrecht Art Supplies and Artist & Craftsman Supply. Broad incumbents are School Specialty, JOANN, Michaels Companies and Hobby Lobby.
Does Wet Paint have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wet Paint.
What industry is Wet Paint in?
Wet Paint's product category is Art Supplies Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALABAG, Art & Drafting Supplies Retail. Its SIC code is 3950.