Practical Art

Great place for gifts! Support local artists and find unique items. I love this place.

This place has an awesome eclectic collection of both practical pieces and fun artistic works. Owners are awesome and service is always on point.

Amazing find! Such a friendly staff — they brewed a cup
of tea for me and even entertained my 4 year old daughter so I could shop. I loved my new found treasures. Can’t wait to back!

I was only in Phoenix for a short time and am so glad that I included here in my visit.
There is such a rich variety of art here that anyone should be able to find something that works for them. I sent out a few postcards from here and everyone loved them.
Just browsing about was an experience in itself (which I probably did for about 40 minutes), and Andrea (the lady working there when I entered) was super informative about the artists and the local scene. They were also super helpful in keeping this out-​of-​towner hydrated… the dry air is not something I was used to.
Highly recommended!

What a fun and funky store. We were offered water (in REAL breakable glasses, no less) upon entry and the salesperson was very helpful and friendly. It’s effectively an artist co-​op which means there is a LOT of variety and it rotates regularly. Prices are on the spendier side but not unreasonable. Reminds me of a bit of my favorite artist co-​op in Jerome. If you need an interesting gift or just a little something-​something, you’re bound to find it here.

This place is a big part of why I fell head over heels for Phoenix.
The store carries the work of over 125 Arizona artisans that create everything from hand-​painted ceramic bowls to small tables to turquoise pens. There are also hats, soaps, jewelry and cards. Everything is so unique and it gives you an appreciation for the artistic culture of the state. The prices vary from the «spontaneous gift» point to the «investing in my personal collection.»
Beyond the «practical» art, there is a wall show of fine art that rotates every month and regular community events are hosted in the shop.
Simply put, it’s easy to become a friend of Practical Art.

This place always has new creative items made right here in the valley. They feature local artists and rotate quite frequently. Many great items for the living room as well as kitchen that will make you look very hip to your friends. There is also plenty of wall items to spice up any room
You should also make it a point to seek out their «special» events which occur monthly. My favorite is «pie night» where delicious home made pies are made available with proceeds going to a local charity. The pies are like none other, you’ll just have to drop by.

Hip boutique full of various artsy gifts and décor. Wide range of product from kitted items, ceramics, metal work, jewelry, dishes, wood work, trinket boxes, sculpture, etc. Style ranges from bohemian to industrial to nerd culture. Something for anyone looking for a non-​mass produced product.
Prices can be high, but I don’t mind as all products are handmade by local Arizona artisans. And some things are quite affordable. The sales person was friendly and helpful. She offered us wine or water and was very welcoming. The space is open and roomy. A pleasurable shopping experience overall.

Great find, not sure what took me so long to find them. I walked in with what I wanted already in my head as I had seen an image of it on their website. Not only did I receive wonderful service but my item was gift wrapped for me at no charge!!!
Great local artists, not schlockey gift store crap.
I will be back!!!

I’m a minimalist so I only buy things when I need them and when I buy stuff I want high quality items with some personality to them. This store is great for people like me. Everything is handmade by an Arizona artist and everything is beautiful and has a practical purpose. And I love that the layout of the store is open, simple, and clean. Overly cluttered stores make me crazy.

If you are like me, and honestly get seriously depressed by the seemingly endless landscape of soul-​less chain stores, mega-​malls and Wal-​Marts that is Phoenix…
Practical Art is the antidote! My arty, indie, beauty-​craving spirit comes alive again, just walking in, seeing this lovely shop filled with tasteful, quality, 100% HANDMADE arts and crafts, all made by local artists right here in Arizona!
I need to take time to look at every single object here. I’m smiling as I think of the quirky items (bee shelters, anyone?) and naturally gorgeous specimens (hollowed mesquite bowls that look like they would be at home in a museum). Practical Art gives me newfound appreciation for the talented artists of Arizona. The shop is beautifully curated by proprietors who have a great eye for design, color and style.
Prices range from under $ 10 to several hundreds. And like the name says, it’s «practical art» meaning that you can use it in your home. Useful goods for your kitchen, office, or garden, wearable jewelry art and textiles. Many will last for a lifetime or even longer, if properly cared for.
This shop also doubles as an art gallery, with a rotating exhibit of local artists. I was lucky to catch the last day of a beautiful show by photographer Patrick Madigan. They have art openings on First Fridays.
This is a friendly place, no snooty attitude here, and no pushy salespeople. The owners are obviously passionate about supporting local artists and enjoy sharing their knowledge. They might offer you some tea or lemonade while you look around. It even smells good in here.
From now on, this will be my go-​to place to shop for cool, one-​of-​a-​kind gifts for special people.
Please support local artists, buy quality handmade goods, and keep money in our local economy!

What a great find Practical Art is! We took our time as there were so many beautiful things to see. We collect ceramics and the selection and prices were terrific. We were thrilled that it was open on Sunday (our only time to shop together) and naturally we found some pieces to add to our collection. Can’t wait to go back for some Christmas gifts.

Practical Art is an awesome little shop with tons to look at. Some of the items are a bit pricey but all of them were really cool. I stopped in there recently when hubby and I happened to be in the area (he wanted to check out the comic book place next door). As we perused the store, I felt like we were at an art walk or craft fair but it was indoors (though the a/​c in there was not too great). I ended up purchasing a lovely vase with hand-​blown glass flowers that hold tea light candles. Talk about a one-​of-​a-​kind centerpiece! The proprietor was very helpful in selecting the right colors for my «bouquet» and even let us in the back storeroom to check out some more options. I ended up with a really beautiful piece and it felt good supporting a local artisan.
I will definitely return whenever I need a unique gift for someone special.

«BUY LOCAL! SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ARTISTS!»
How many times do you hear that? How often do you really listen and truly seek out local businesses when you are looking for the perfect birthday gift, or that one-​of-​a-​kind memorable anniversary present for your favorite human? Admit it, don’t you rush out at the last minute and buy a sweater or necklace from a big box store because you put it off until the last minute?
Well, the holidays are only 5+ months away. .. and I just bet that you have several birthdays, anniversaries, wedding showers, thank you and house warming gifts that you need to find before then. Why wait? Check out PRACTICAL ARTS for a locally-​made, hand-​crafted perfect gift. Everything in the shop is «100% locally handmade.» That perfect gift for you, your family or your friends is just sitting there waiting for you to find it and take it home.
When you walk out with the perfect anniversary gift your heart will swell with pride that you supported local artisans; and your purchase will be a colorful reminder that you took the time to select just the right colorful and practical gift for that really important person in your life. .. could even be you!

GREAT place to see useful, beautiful objects from local artists. The owners are sweet as can be and even offered me iced green tea while I browsed. I will go back again and again.

Love the unique items you can find in this store! I went for a gift but it was hard because there were so many things that I wanted for myself.
The ornament that I purchased as a Christmas gift literally made the person I gave it to cry, she loved it so much.
If you are looking for something beautiful and unique to give to someone this is a great place to stop.

Shop here, shop here now.
Shop here, shop here, shop here now.
NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW.

I was searching for a unique item to give as a Thank You gift and I stopped by Practical Art over the Labor Day weekend after viewing some items on their website. I was extremely under underwhelmed by the service I received and do not plan on returning.
When I arrived the young woman behind the counter was having a personal conversation with an acquaintance. Besides the employee and her conversation buddy the store was empty. I spent about ten minutes looking around and the young woman did not have the common courtesy to acknowledge me with a simple «Hello», even as I was viewing items directly in front of the counter. When I was leaving the store she did break long enough to say «Bye».
I believe it is very important to support local business but I will not spend my money here. I did find several items I wanted to buy and made note of the artist. I have done the extra leg work to reach out to them to find out how to purchase their items through other channels. I do not feel they should miss a sale due to the sub par customer service at this location.

This little shop is practically a work of art itself! Between the multiple vendors (all local mind you), unique inventory and a complete schedule of classes, Practical Arts lives up to its name.
This is the store you visit when you’re hunting for a unique gift or you simply want to browse creative works of local vendors throughout Phoenix. Practical Art sells everything from unique business card holders and metal coat racks, to fireplace tools, furniture and plenty of accessories for your home or yourself. It’s really hard to explain but its worth visiting and you’ll most definitely find a gift for that hard-​to-​buy friend. Pricing wise, the pieces here range from $ 20 to $ 400 but it all depends on the artist and on the item. It’s obvious that metal is going to be more expensive then wood. I even saw blown glass kitchen appliances such as serving spoons and butter knives. Everything is so unique here. It’s an adorable shop and adorable inventory.

I told Sweet D, «Lets spend five minutes and take a look at this Practical Art place. It looks interesting.»
Kara lured us to the center of her arty web, offering cups of hot tea that chilly afternoon. Eighty Arizona artists, mostly Phoenix Metropolitan, put their wares, mostly functional (artfully useful) in this marketplace.
What glass, fiber, kitchen, pottery, jewelry, furniture and other objets stoked my artsy hunger?
Forty five minutes later we walked out with a beautifully crafted wall sconce by Tempe’s Jennifer Gross. We also took away a plasma-​cut steel ear of garden corn, gift for a member of the Hopi Corn Clan. The bright, delicate, intricately crafted flower pots by Jennifer Weaver nearly stole my sight. But not my money. This time.
Many years ago, I brought home a foot-​tall chainsaw carved grizzly bear, a gift for Sweet D found on a long work trip. Two or three years later, I found a pile of sawdust under it’s chest. Carpenter bees loved the bear. I brought a short log home from the mountains for a bear stand and new bee house. They still love the bear better. Small holes for hanging shovels and large holes from screw-​eyes taken from outside walls became nests for leaf-​cutter bees. I drilled a few holes in a 2×4 like the bee board makers do in alfalfa seed country. Leaf cutters moved in. But its still 2×4 lumber resting above a window of our home.
Somebody makes beautiful wood sculpture from Big Lumber, drilling it with holes, inviting Carpenter, Leaf Cutter and other Arizona native bees to stop and stay at the Bee Art Hotel.
I saw several glass and pottery business card holders, melt-​glass night lights, and a neck warmer just big enough to cover a neck, held on by a two-​inch button.
Pretty good. Each week a new artists shows their wares. If good enough, they get to join the other 79. I’m not sure how the bump-​list works.
Stop by and see what you can’t resist. $ 10 — $ 500.