05/04/2026
by Victoria Ritter
When Carson Monetti and Xena Colby attended college, few career options were presented to them that didn’t involve working in a demanding job for years; after paying their dues, they might have the chance to do something they truly enjoyed.
They found another way.
Today, the married couple are proud owners of St. Louis Art Supply, which they opened in 2015. Colby is an oil painter and Carson is drawn to pens, but neither thought about becoming artists. Instead, they were fascinated by retailers and the prospect of supporting professional artists and hobbyists alike.
“The reason we opened the store in the first place was because we wanted something that would be fulfilling from day one,” Monetti said. “It’s a lovely way to spend your days.”
An intentional inventory
St. Louis Art Supply conducts 80 percent of its business online – due to a post-pandemic business shift – and operates a small retail location inside a warehouse. The store is less than 1,000 square feet and is packed with supplies for every fine art medium – except sculpture.
Visitors are often greeted by the Malcolm, “the friendliest cat in the world,” and an extensive book section. Hundreds of titles populate the entryway, covering art mediums, history, artist biographies and catalogs. Deeper in, customers can browse Tintoretto brushes, Midori stationery, Daniel Smith paints and Royal Talens supplies, among other products.
“We do a lot of our own importing, so we have a different mix of products than what you can find at other retailers, big or small,” Monetti said. “We intentionally look for things that have not been sold in the U.S. market.”
When selecting products to stock, Monetti and Colby are conscientious of working with companies that have strong ethics and engage in sustainable practices. “We try to do a better job of ethical sourcing,” Monetti stated, explaining that customers are drawn to how the products work. “It’s not just about getting customers to eat their vegetables. It’s about saying, ‘If you choose this stuff, it’ll actually be more fun for you.'”
St. Louis Art Supply has 7,000 SKUs in its inventory, providing materials to locals as well as to customers across the U.S. In addition to the retail space, the business has a 5,000-square-foot warehouse with a fulfillment center, storage, offices, labs and workspaces.
Monetti and Colby use Shopify for a POS system but have developed their own app, called Stockroom, to handle tracking, packing, shipping and purchasing. The hope is to launch the app before Creativation by Namta. To learn more, visit stockroom.cc.
“We have three dozen vendors, and it’s become really difficult to manage them all,” Monetti explained. “With Stockroom, we built an interface where you can just upload a CSV from the vendor. It gives you an online store format where you can shop that vendor’s items and create a PO that you can then email to them. It has saved me so much time since we rolled it out.”
Federal Color
St. Louis Art Supply not only stands out with its curated inventory, but also with an original line of products. Shortly after opening the store, Monetti became curious about making inks, thinking it could be a big differentiator. He found a recipe for shellac ink in a trade publication for 19th century apothecaries.
Before they knew it, Monetti and Colby had established a paint mill in their warehouse. In 2016, they launched Optimist Pigment Ink. “There are a lot of black options, but to get a great pigmented, lightfast, waterproof India ink in different colors, there aren’t that many options on the market,” Monetti stated.
In 2023, Monetti and Colby launched Federal Color, their manufacturing and wholesale brand. The following year, they added Tonic, their line of watercolor paints, to the brand. Currently, Federal Color has 300 SKUs, with 15 colors in Optimist and 20 colors in Tonic. “We’re still very new, and we’re planning on rolling out a lot more colors in the next couple of years.” Monetti said.
Ever since the store opened, Monetti has hoped to make watercolor pigments that could compete with established brands on their shelves. Federal Color is now a top bestseller at the store. “The response we’re getting from professional and serious amateur watercolor artists, is that we’re right there,” Monetti said.
Supporting creatives
St. Louis Art Supply employs 10 people, half of whom are full-time. Monetti is especially proud to be able to provide PTO and full health insurance for full-time employees. “They get to have a real career in the art supply industry,” he said.
The store also supports the broader art community with artist pop-ups Thursdays through Sundays. Up to four vendors can sign up for free online to temporarily set up in the lobby area of the building. Products range from prints to ceramics and jewelry. “It’s mutually beneficial,” Monetti commented. “Hopefully the vendors make a few bucks while our customers walk past, and then they promote the store and make it more friendly from the street view.”
The future is full of possibilities for St. Louis Art Supply. As their lease ends next year, Monetti hopes to expand the retail space while staying in the city. He and Colby believe that St. Louis, which has long supported the arts, deserves a great art supply store. They plan to continue contributing to the growth of the local art scene and transform their business into “a grand palace of art supplies.”
