Our Story
The story of Lenz Arts—a family legacy of creativity, resilience, and community that’s been inspiring artists for over five decades.
A Little History
It all started with two artists, a shared dream, and a leap of faith.
Back in college, Andy and Cynthia Lenz met through their love of art, fell in love with each other, and eventually got married. With art degrees in hand, they moved to the coastal town of Santa Cruz—a place close to Cynthia’s family and full of creative energy.
While Andy was pursuing his Master’s in Art, he ran into a problem: it was tough to find the quality art supplies he needed. Instead of waiting for a solution, he and Cynthia decided to create one. On August 1, 1968, they took a bold leap and opened Lenz Arts—first from their apartment, and a few months later, in a tiny 900-square-foot storefront (with a loft!) on Pacific Avenue, right at the edge of the old Pacific Garden Mall.
142 River Street, over four decades ago.
Andy, Cynthia and Andrew Lenz in the early 1970s
Cynthia, Andrew, and Andy in 2023.
As the local art scene blossomed, so did the store. On July 6, 1972, Lenz Arts moved into its current home at 142 River Street, a spacious 10,000-square-foot building that once served as a community cold-storage facility—perfect for stocking even more supplies to fuel artists’ imaginations.
In 1976, Lenz Arts officially became incorporated, and the family business continued to grow—literally. In 1979, a young Andrew Jr., not yet a teen, cut his first picture framing mat under the guidance of his uncle Jerry, the head framer at the time.
Andrew Jr. later graduated from UCSC and took on the role of store manager in 1989. A true materials enthusiast, he’s spent decades geeking out with paint manufacturers, chemists, and even researchers from the Smithsonian to answer the most niche (and fascinating!) questions from customers and fellow artists.
In 1991, the Lenz family added a warehouse to support their ever-expanding frame inventory, which freed up even more floor space in the store—because, really, who doesn’t want room for more art supplies?
Today, Lenz Arts remains proudly family-run. Andy officially retired in 2016, and Cynthia gradually stepped back around the same time. Now, Andrew Jr. runs the day-to-day operations alongside his brother Matthew and a passionate crew of nearly two dozen artists and creatives.
That same year, Andy and Cynthia were honored in Houston, Texas with the International Art Materials Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award—a fitting tribute to their dedication, creativity, and impact on the fine art materials world.
From our family to yours, thank you for making Lenz Arts a part of your creative life.
We’re here to help artists of all kinds make, imagine, and explore—just like we’ve done since day one.
Lenz Arts in the News
Stories of resilience, recognition, and creative community.
For over five decades, Lenz Arts has been part of the Santa Cruz story. Below are some moments—both challenging and celebratory—that found their way into the headlines.
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Our Jimbo Phillips Mural!
Jimbo posing in front of his largest-ever creation! The week of September 12-17, 2021, we were honored to have the illustrious local artist Jimbo Phillips design and create artwork on our wall as part of the Sea Walls project. Sea Walls was creating murals around town that week to elevate awareness of stewardship of the oceans. Monday morning…
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Andy & Cynthia’s Lifetime Achievement Award
2016 Lifetime Achievement Award International Art Materials Association Awarded to Andy and Cynthia Lenz Andy and Cynthia Lenz with their 2016 Lifetime Achievement Awards. And the winners are: Andy and Cynthia Lenz, owners of Lenz Arts in Santa Cruz. The pair were honored with the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Art Materials Association…
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Labor of Love
Check out this article on the Good Times
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Editorial, Hits And Misses: Wharf to Wharf a community winner
Santa Cruz Sentinel Editorial Hits and Misses: Wharf to Wharf a community winner July 29, 2013 By Sentinel Board, Santa Cruz Sentinel – Hits – Winning Combination Let’s just say 20,000 runners can’t be wrong. Sunday’s annual Wharf to Wharf race from Santa Cruz to Capitola demonstrated once again what’s so special about the annual…
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Lenz Arts Nears 45th Birthday
Santa Cruz Sentinel Lenz Arts Nears 45th Birthday July 26, 2013 By Luke Barnes, Santa Cruz Sentinel Original Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper article featuring Lenz Arts’ 45th anniversary celebration with photos of Andy and Cynthia Lenz in their store SANTA CRUZ — On Aug. 1 Lenz Arts will celebrate its 45th year in Santa Cruz.…
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Woodcut artist Tom Killion celebrates Mt. Tamalpais
Santa Cruz Sentinel Woodcut artist Tom Killion celebrates Mt. Tamalpais May 14, 2009 By Chris Watson – Sentinel correspondent Among the mourners at James D. Houston’s funeral last month was former Santa Cruzan Tom Killion, down from Pt. Reyes to pay homage to the teacher who’d jump-started his art career 35 years ago. “I took…
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(5 Years Later) Resiliency Keeps Lenz Arts Tradition Alive After Fire
Santa Cruz Sentinel Resiliency keeps Lenz Arts tradition alive after fire April 8, 2007 By Jondi Gumz – Sentinel staff writer Five years after a fire caused about $85,000 in damages at Lenz Arts, the owners still occasionally smell smoke. They didn’t have fire insurance, but they turned a lemon of a situation into lemonade,…
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Fire-Damaged Lenz May Reopen Next Week
Santa Cruz Sentinel Resiliency keeps Lenz Arts tradition alive after fire March 20, 2002 By Mike De Give – Sentinel staff writer Investigators found a one-burner stove and other evidence of camping beneath a burned section of Lenz Arts but haven’t determined what role the items played in Saturday’s fire. “You can go almost anywhere…
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Lenz Arts Damaged By Fire
Santa Cruz Sentinel Resiliency keeps Lenz Arts tradition alive after fire March 20, 2002 By Jeanene Harlick – Sentinel staff writer SANTA CRUZ — A 34-year-old downtown business was seriously damaged Saturday morning when a fire started under Lenz Arts and worked its way into the building’s walls. Andrew Lenz, whose father opened the art-supply…