Chico Paper Company has been at the corner of 4th and Broadway for over 40 years. That kind of longevity in a downtown area usually means one of two things: the place gets by on habit, or it is exceptionally good at what it does. Chico Paper Co. is the latter.
The space works as both a gallery and a full-service framing shop and is currently owned by Eric Metcalf and Jessica Capen. Tamara Peters manages the gallery and knows every artist and every piece in the place. You can ask her as many questions as you want and never feel foolish or pressured to purchase.
Mostly Local Artists, and Room to Look
Much of the work here comes from local artists, and you can feel that connection throughout the gallery. One wall is covered floor to ceiling with canvas prints of California buildings, storefronts, and streets that feel instantly familiar. Not famous landmarks necessarily, just the everyday places that make up the community and area around us. The kind of images that make you pause because you realize you've seen them someplace before.
Around the corner, the room opens into sweeping landscape photography: national parks, California sunsets stretching across the horizon, the Golden Gate Bridge glowing against the night sky. These pieces aren't meant to blend into the background. Some are large enough to completely change the energy of a room and I can only imagine would stand out as talking pieces in someone's home or office.
The painting section is packed in close — oil and acrylic landscapes hung the way a working collection should be. Wildflower fields, forest light, quiet rivers. You'll find yourself naturally slowing down and leaning in to look at the detail work. In addition to photography and paintings, the gallery also has hand thrown ceramics, jewelry and other art mediums as well.
Artists who wish to be part of the gallery must apply and be vetted before they can claim a spot among the other artists. It's just another reason the art pieces they have are not only unique, but of the highest caliber as well.
The Framing Side Is the Main Event
Chico Paper Company is a long-standing member of the Professional Picture Framing Association. They focus on conservation framing — the kind that protects a piece for decades, not just a few years. They frame oversized works, quilts, 3D objects, and custom mirrors. Rush and next-day framing are available when you need them. Artists can bring in portfolios for a review.
The frame samples cover the walls; hundreds of options in every finish, width, and color you could want. And the best part is that Chico Paper Company does all in house framing and will take the time to help you pick the right frame for your piece.
If you have a print, a painting, a family photo, or a kid's drawing sitting in a closet because you never found the right frame — this is the place. They have been solving that exact problem on this corner for over 40 years.
Chico Paper Company is at 345 Broadway Street, corner of 4th. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Reach them at (530) 891-0900.