Ink Well makes its mark on Olean

Creativity tends to spread when spilled. For Melissa Meyers, a desire to help artists share their creativity led to the birth of Ink Well, the art supply store she opened Sept. 9, 2009.

Across from Chef's Bistro and The Paper Factory, the Ink Well sits nestled between Choice Video and Custom Shoe Repair at 213 N. Union St., Olean, with Christmas lights and paper hearts hanging on its windows.

The store's atmosphere exudes a relaxing vibe. Painting tools and paints of all hues wait to be used. A variety of craft books for adults and kids alike contain instructions, and usually materials, on how to make jewelry and peel-off window art, along with a monster-making kit.

However, what Meyers appeared to be most proud of decorate the walls. All around the store, local artists' paintings and photographs hang, waiting to be adored.

"This is the creativity we have in this area that I wanted to support with this store," Meyers said, gesturing toward the framed art.

Meyers has extensive experience as an artist. After graduating from Buffalo State College in December of 1986 with a degree in graphic design, she worked for New Era Cap Co. in Buffalo, designing baseball caps. She eventually began working for Bee Group Newspapers, a weekly newspaper chain for the Buffalo area, providing her with a larger opportunity to use her degree.

Her interest in opening a store sparked and became serious during Olean's Squirrel community art project in 2007.

After making the Ronald McDonald squirrel now located in Lincoln Park, Meyers said she realized how quickly the cost of buying materials adds up because she had to order Magic Sculp clay to construct Ronald's hair. Shipping fees became expensive due to the clay's weight.

"In this town, we're in our own little universe," said Meyers. "There are a lot of products out there that people aren't aware of."

Upon opening the store, Meyers introduced a variety of unique art supplies to the Olean community. Prior to Ink Well's opening, most supplies had to be purchased online.

Shiva paint sticks, encaustic wax paint and sanded pastel paper are among the hard-to-find supplies Ink Well carries. If a customer asks for a particular product not available in the store, Meyers said she looks around to find the specific item for the customer.

Though the store mainly focuses on providing art supplies, it also works to help the community foster its creativity in other ways.

Ink Well offers acrylic, watercolor, basic drawing and origami art classes costing between five and 20 dollars. Meyers offers classes in Macintosh computer training and on how to use Photoshop. In the future, Meyers said a caricature-drawing class might be offered.

Ink Well also encourages community artists to share their work by displaying it on the local artists' gallery wall.

Meyers said she allows artists to hang photos and paintings in the store for three months, free of charge. If the art doesn't sell, she asks the artist to take down his or her work to make room for a fellow artist's piece.

If a piece does sell, Meyers charges a 20 percent in commission fees, ensuring most of the profit goes to the work's creator.

"I know what it's like to be an artist and not make a lot of money," she explained.

Meyers said she hopes to help students obtain necessary tools, especially in the wake of New York state's recent cut in education funds, by finding suppliers offering cheaper supplies.

"Traditionally, art programs have been the first to go," she said. "There's a lot of high school and middle school talent in this area, and they need a place to get (affordable) supplies."

So far, Meyers said Ink Well has been well received.

"A customer said, 'it's about time some class was brought to Olean,'" she said, smiling.

housesp@sbu.edu