Velvet Elephant Art Center & Fair Trade Emporium

03/30/2026

20 YEARS OF VELVET ELEPHANT. 48 YEARS OF THE ART CENTER. At a time when funding for Arts & Education has been gutted and B1ick has wiped out indie art shops around the country, we’re still kickin’... thanks to YOU.

To show our gratitude, WE’RE GIVING STUFF AWAY DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL. Everyone who enters the shop starting today can enter to win select quality merch - art supplies, books, games, puzzles and Fair Trade artisan handcrafts. We’ll hold 3 drawings per week to select random winners. Also, any purchase totaling $120+ from now through April will include a complimentary Fair Trade organic cotton “Create Your World” t-shirt (available in 12 different sizes, while supplies last). Free stickers too!

*No AI was used for the creation of this graphic. Imagery consists of original photos and a royalty-free image, composited and “painted” using Photoshop. Each letter was hand-drawn (no fonts) as were the line drawings, then vectorized with Illustrator. The animation was built frame-by-frame, stitched together using AfterEffects. It was human-made with the assistance of Adobe digital tools. VE IS COMMITTED TO REMAINING (as much as is humanly possible) AN AI-FREE ZONE.

03/24/2026

12/22/2025

These brass, glass & acacia wood ⭐️COMPASSES, SUNDIAL, MINI-TELESCOPE, CHESS SET & MAGNIFIERS⭐️ are precision-crafted by artisans in Moradabad, India, whose workshop is part of the Fair Trade network Noah’s Ark International. NAI provides benefits such as education and medical treatment for artisans and their families. As artisan workshops become more self-sufficient, NAI takes on new families. Since the company’s inception, about 20 artisan workshops have become independent.

12/20/2025

In our world of digital screens, ⭐️KITSVILLE⭐️ brings creativity to life with hands-on kits that turn learning & play into adventure. Based in Maryland, Kitsville is a team of makers, engineers, and scientists passionate about crafting do-it-yourself STEAM (Science / Tech / Engineering / Art / Math) project kits and creativity-in-a-box experiences for all ages. Build your own solar-powered, battery-powered or remote-controlled vehicles, animals, robots, holograms, walkie-talkies, music boxes and more! All kits are made in the USA, priced at only $14-30, and are NOT available on Amaz0n 😊

12/19/2025

These colorful and functional totes are skillfully handmade using natural raffia grass and palm leaves. Each bag features a coordinating cloth drawstring closure and sewn-in interior pocket for added convenience. Whether you’re heading to the farmer’s market, need a knitting caddy, or stylish everyday bag, this multipurpose tote delivers charm, utility and durability. Ethically made, sustainably sourced from Kenya and brought to us via Gitzell Fairtrade International

11/01/2025

FREE kids art supplies, stickers and organic candy 🍭 Come in today and help us clear it out 👻 🍬 ‼️

10/28/2025

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10/23/2025

Pacific Power is planning 9-hour long power interruptions which will directly impact us tomorrow (Thursday) and Saturday. To Mount Shasta residents who received a notice about a planned interruption on Saturday, but not Thursday: Don't worry, the Thursday outage will only impact approximately 20 customers, and will not be as widespread as the Saturday one. Thanks for your patience & continuing support.

10/22/2025

COZY UP 🍁🥶 Just got in the season’s fresh stock of ALPACA & ALPACA-BLEND KNITS from ANDES GIFTS®, handcrafted by a cooperative of hundreds of indigenous Aymara & Quechua women residing in the highlands of Peru & Bolivia. Through their efforts, Andes Gifts enables a growing number of indigenous artisans to knit, stitch and weave their way to a self-sufficient quality of life for themselves and their families. Thanks to your loyal support, these knitters have projects year-round.

10/03/2025

Need inspiration? Our selection of ART INSTRUCTION BOOKS has over 70 different titles currently in stock ⭐️