Riebe's Artist Materials, Melville

Muses flit among Riebe's Artist Materials Inc's bouquets of brushes and kaleidoscopic sprays of pastels, whispering lore accumulated during the shop's 89 years in business. Managers Bob Riebe and Bryan Di Bartolomeo pilot artists of all levels through a sprawling prairie littered with gear including drawing tables, easels, and brushes. After spotting acrylic paints from brands such as Golden Artist Colors, Inc. and Liquitex, rainbows rush off to change outfits, stomping past an armory of clay-modeling tools and drafting templates.