Oxford Art Supplies Pty, Ltd.

Oxford Art Supplies began its days in 1964 as a hardware store in the rundown inner city suburb of Darlinghurst. Oxford Street Hardware as it was then known was run by Alf and Bessie Altshuler. It did a brisk trade in the young commercial area filled with the working class of Sydney. In 1974, the owner's son, David Altshuler, decided to expand the product range. He began by hand stretching canvases with his wife Jean on the lounge-room floor. Together they cut the wood to measure, stretched and primed the canvases ready-made-to-order for the growing artist population. Subsequently the range of art materials soon expanded to include a selection of artist and student quality paints, brushes and pencils. Thirty-five years later Oxford Art Supplies is still serving professional artists, art students, graphic designers, advertising agencies, public and private schools and, of course, the complete beginner. Oxford Art have a reputation for discount prices and most of all the variety of art and craft materials in stock and available through special order. Marc Altshuler, grandson of the late Alf and Bessie Altshuler is the third generation to be working in the shop. Customers of the early days do a double take when they see him saying "You must be David's son?".