Meet the owners

Meet Jemma

Family-run Tindalls is the leading independent supplier of fine art supplies to East Anglia. Jemma Wiltsher, assistant manager of the Cambridge store, gives us a flavour of the business

A brief history

Tindalls started life as a family business (Tindalls & Son) in 1870 in the town of Newmarket, printing and selling sheet music. Tindalls the Stationers Ltd was established in 1992. Tindalls has since branched out into Ely and Cambridge becoming the largest independent retailer of fine art supplies to East Anglia. We are proud to offer the finest art and stationery materials on the market. Tindalls Art & Graphics Cambridge has a long history of supplying professional artists, designers and students from our base on King Street, formerly owned by Heffers.

Our extensive product range

We stock a wide range of premium paints, a variety of technical drawing tools, papers and surfaces, a vast selection of quality brushes, alongside traditional architectural tools and calligraphy implements. You can also find printmaking materials, modelling tools and sculpting materials. We keep a selection of quality stationery including Moleskine, Leuchtturm, Lamy and Fabriano for all writing needs, and also have popular children’s selections from DJeco, Faber-Castell, Klutz, Foam Clay and Crayola.

Specialities

Our carefully selected ranges are chosen to help customers achieve professional results. We have artists’ favourites Winsor and Newton, Michael Harding, Da Vinci and Caran d’Ache. We also specialise in Old Holland, Golden, Pebeo, Schmincke and Daniel Smith watercolours and mediums, Unison, Sennelier, PanPastel and Roberson art supplies. We stock canvas on the roll, with stretcher bars from Russell & Chapple. Our most popular sellers are beginner materials from Winsor & Newton and Daler-Rowney. As long-established trademarks for quality, they offer newcomers to art a reliable product while they explore premium brands.

Loyal customers

We see many established professional artists and architects, illustrators of all ages, as well as short course attendees satisfying a newfound interest in art. We also serve local students from Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin, as well as international students.

Navigating the pandemic

We saw many customers stocking up on art supplies for professional and personal creative development during the pandemic. We focused on our website during lockdown, as there was a rise in demand for fine art supplies. We are grateful to our team of tutors who adapted to restrictions and evolved their classes online, maintaining spirits by providing a social and creative outlet. We’ve re-introduced onsite workshops at a smaller capacity because we believe being able to choose and try new materials is an integral part of the creative process.

The joy of being independent

We enjoy the autonomy of being able to connect with our customers in inventive ways. Our successful hosting of onsite workshops brings together the local art community and the wider public. This year we plan to hold art competitions, exhibitions, and introduce new subjects for our creative workshops, including how to stretch a canvas! We have an art social event soon, with demonstrations and discounts for attendees as well as the biannual student evening in April with a 20 per cent discount. Customers that join Tindalls’ rewards scheme and mailing list can also enjoy in-store savings.

Enduring appeal of stationery

We were already seeing a resurgence of interest in physically creating art, architectural models, lettering, and journaling prior to the pandemic – likely stemming from an increased desire for handmade products and original art pieces. The pandemic has reminded us to enjoy the novelty of turning off our screens to cultivate skills and feel accomplished!

Visit Tindalls at 15-21 King Street, Cambridge. Find out more at tindalls.co.uk

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