Materials & Restrictions
Material Availability:
Downtown Siena has art supply stores with a wide range of materials. Siena also has numerous stores for hardware, electronics, building supplies, etc. Here are some links to some local art supply stores in Siena and nearby Florence:
Ruffoli snc Emporio per le Arti e i Mestieri, Siena
Acquarello Belle Arti snc, Siena, Via Terme 56, tel. 057741346
Cartoleria Bonucci, Via dei Rossi 16 tel 0577 42114
Brico Io (for craft supplies, wood, etc) Via Massetana Roma 50, Siena tel 0577 226104
Colorama (for hardware, industrial paint, etc), via toselli 106, Siena tel 0577 285230
Photography supplies and printing services downtown:
- Foto Moderna, Via delle Terme, 5/7, 53100 Siena SI tel 0577271049
- Photo Smart, Viale Curtatone, 5, 53100 Siena SI , tel 3331496628
- Foto Atelier Fotografico, Via di Città, 124, 53100 Siena SI, tel 0577285498
There are also numerous cartolerie (paper stores) and the like, including:.
- Cartoleria Mariotti, Banchi di Sopra 45 Tel. 0577280485 (has a lot of large sheets of paper on their second floor, with very reasonable prices. )
- Cartoleria Bonucci, via dei rossi 16 tel 0577 42114
Hardware Store:
-
Ferramenta naldini di sozzi paola e c. sas (Via Termini 2 - 53100 Siena (SI) tel: 0577 282155
Closed mid-day, from 12:45 to 3:30
For lumber:
- Legno e.... Via Delle Arti 27, (loc Due Ponti) tel 0577 530106
Most of these shops are open from 10 am to 1 pm and from 3:30 -6 pm. M-F and Saturday mornings, but call to confirm!
Art Supply Stores in Florence (1 1/2 hours away by train or bus) include:
Online orders can be placed to many sources including:
- OPITEC-Italia Srl (general art supplies)
- Belle Arti Lizzani di Lizzani Saverio (general art supplies)
- Amicucci: Materiali e colori per i belle Arti (general art supplies)
- Tabularasa (sculpture, inlay, and mosaic supplies, stores in Rome and Carrara)
- Arte Creo (general art supplies)
It is also possible to have supplies shipped to the Siena Art Institute from other countries, although international shipping can be quite expensive.
The Siena Art Institute staff is here to help you find the materials you need, and we will work with you to identify local vendors, etc for the supplies you are seeking. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of our artists to procure their own supplies.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding the availability of specific materials in Siena.
Material Restrictions:
The Siena Art Institute's studios are spacious and have large windows providing ample ventilation. However, some restrictions must be placed on the type of materials used in our studios, to make sure the spaces remain usable for other participants.
In general, when working with any type of material, we ask for our artists to prioritize their own safety and the safety and comfort of others in the building.
Projects that are overly dusty, noisy, or vaporous should take place in our courtyards. This would include working with spray fixative, varnishes, or carving-sanding wood or stone. We discourage artists from using spray paint or other highly noxious materials, since the vapors rise to surrounding windows.
Projects that involve heat or open flames require prior approval of the program director and studio supervisor. This includes work with encaustic and wax sculptures.
We do not have equipment or facilities for metalworking at our location in downtown Siena. However, we can put you in touch with local metalworkers if this is an area of art that you wish to explore. You would be responsible for coordinating your own transportation to and from the metalworking studio.
Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding material restrictions at the Siena Art Institute.