Art for the Soul

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life" - Picasso.

"Cherish family, do your best, laugh, seize the day, relish the night, follow your heart",

Words and quotes like these adorn everything from jewelry to dining room tables here at Art for the Soul.

Once upon a time, owner Valinda Martin had only a few artists in mind but tons of passion and enough color to fill up a store, and that is just what she did.  Valinda opened her first store on Balboa Island in 1998 (for more on Valinda see Valinda's Story).

Ten years, two stores, this website, and over 800 artists later Valinda is still handpicking each artist herself.  Both the Balboa store and Laguna Beach location, which opened in 2003, carry primarily American handcrafted, whimsical, colorful, inspirational art and gifts (formore on our stores see About Us). Locals and tourists alike delight in the ever-changing array of blown glass, funky prints, jewelry, and color drenched furniture. Many of our visitors stop by for the sole purpose of reviving their spirits with a healthy dose of inspiration.

Now virtually everything about Art for the Soul that tugs at your heart strings and gets you to think can be experienced thru our website. So make yourself comfortable — and hold onto your mouse — this is a Technicolor wave of delight that you are surfing, it will wash that dust right off your soul and give you a breath of fresh art ... Enjoy!