Best New Nature Gift Shop That Offers Art Classes
The Poppy Collective
216 Grand Ave., Pacific Grove
(831) 242-9911
Christy Porter was always an artist at heart growing up in Salinas, but in high school she thought she would have to choose between art and science. She chose science and went on to become an environmental scientist for the State of California. It was a paint and sip class about 10 years ago that reawakened her love of art. Lucky for us, she’s combined her artsy side with her geeky side in a beautiful store in downtown P.G. called The Poppy Collective, featuring an impressive array of nature-inspired items crafted by local artists, plus books about the region’s natural habitats and tools for observing nature. The back of the store features a wide array of painting supplies and a classroom where Porter and other teachers offer painting classes for anyone, including beginners.