DIY City Mag

By: DIY City

Feb 14 2008

tags: diy, ink, nyc, paper, papercrafts, scrapbooking, stamping, stamps

Category: Fav Stores, Features, Pigment and Paper

theinkpadnyc.com

The Ink Pad caters to crafty New Yorkers who like to make their own handmade goods. The majority of customers are women of all ages, though the shop gets its fair share of men as well. And as you would expect in NYC, tourists from the world over stop by as well. Owner, Anna Chiang has had customers from the UK, Brazil, Japan, Sweden, Germany, Australia, Cambodia, Portugal, Holland as well as other countries. Stamping can be used with a variety of activities from card making, altered books, collage art and altered items, scrapbooking, frames, stamped clothing, and jewelry making.

Anna noted that she has seen incredible growth in the craft and the DIY industry in the last few years. “People want to have that handmade individualized look to their art, oftentimes finding it hard to even give away the fabulous creations! Scrapbooking, though not our main focus, has helped the rubber stamp trend grow incredibly. Everywhere you go, even at a discount shop or a drug store you can find stickers and little embellishments. It is an addicting craft, where you can never have enough supplies.”

We had a chance to stop by the Handmade in NY Fair that the Ink Pad sponsors each holiday season. Each year Anna invites her customers to exhibit their handmade artwork. The main requirement is that the art that is for sale must be made in the New York City area. The day we visited the show we noticed that Anna walked around and visited with each of the vendors. She also says that she uses the fair to shop for all her holiday gifts. “It gives me a chance to pay back these artists and have them feel rewarded by being able to show off. I feel like the proud mama of these people; it’s a very heartfelt and rewarding day.”

The Ink Pad also has a vibrant community, offering classes in the shop after closing time. Even though it’s a tight space, the customers and staff feel that it is cozy. One or two weekends a month they rent a nearby artists’ space. The classes are as varied as its customers: stamp carving, doll making, paper marbling, fabric stamping are some of their past clasess. And one of the most popular is the Back to Basics, which is the introduction into the world of rubber stamp magic.

Anna is keen to listen to her customer base as they tell her about classes they would like to see added and about instructors they’ve heard about, such as visiting guest artists. Anna met Estrella, the store’s first teacher, at a Javits Center show even before she opened the store. Estrella has a loyal following. The classes range in price from $25-$35 average for a 2-3 hour class. The Ink Pad also offers day long workshops which are offered with a lunch break built in. Most participants however don’t stop for lunch and prefer to keep on working on their projects. Anna attributes this to the tight spaces in Manhattan apartments; students like to make good use of the time to spread out their art.

If you are new to paper crafts and not sure you are ready for a full class, they also offer free demonstrations on one or two Saturdays a month, from 1 till 4. The Ink Pad web site lists details for all the classes and demonstrations.

The Ink Pad is now in the 10th year of business. The store continues to be a place where artists meet and gather to share ideas. This is certainly due to the sense of community Anna has built with the classes and workshops. Additionally, she keeps customers coming back with her rotating stock. She orders from over 100 companies and rotates the suppliers, so the look of the shop changes daily. “The more than 10,000 stamps on our shelves change daily as well, so if you like it, buy it, because if you don’t, someone else will! ”

Anna takes great joy when a customer comes in to show off what they’ve made. Many times throughout the years, she has seen customers run in, grab a stamp magazine off the shelf and tear through the pages to show her that they’ve been published. “It’s always so exciting to know that my shop and my fantastic staff helped this person be inspired and motivated. We have even held contests, and I see how very shy people can be about showing their art. They come in and say “I am not creative” or “I could never make cards.” It’s so sad to me, because rubber stamping is about the easiest way to create, and mostly it is the simpler things that are the most beautiful!”

The Ink Pad staff make it a point to tell customers that they are creative. Anna also encourages her customers to use things around the house that they already have, as everyone has some scrap paper, a pair of scissors and old magazines that they can collage from. “Crafting is easy and we’ll show you how. One stamp will do it, but I bet you’ll want a few more! Trust me, I’m as addicted as my customers!”
“All people are creative.”
The Ink Pad
22 Eighth Ave (@ West 12th St.)

NY, NY 10014

212.463.9876
theinkpadnyc.com
The store is open Mon-Sat from 11-7 and Sun from 12-6.