A cheery, pastel ombre door, reminiscent of the ‘80s greets visitors at the Valencia Street art store, Little Paper Planes. Once inside, the good vibes continue, with an array of trinkets, including magazines, art, jewelry, clothing and stationery.

Everything in the store is lighthearted and covetable, curated by owner of the store and artist, Kelly Lynn Jones."

“It’s from a series of color fields that my husband created in response to a sound piece he created from SFMOMA before it closed,” Jones reveals about the front door. “He works there and wanted to capture the feeling of the space through sound which inspired a series of colors after that piece. I really loved the pieces and felt connected immediately as a way to brand the shop.”

Little Paper Planes began in December 2004 as an online store that supported projects done by Jones and her art friends. “We were all creating art ephemera like zines, prints, and soft goods to sell so we could focus on our own personal art practices. It has always been based around the artist community,” Jones said.

The online shop transitioned to a brick-and-mortar location in the Mission, where Jones continues to support the dreams of a variety of artists, through print editions, publishing, curatorial projects, and a residency program.

“LPP is rooted in creating opportunities for artists as well as offering affordable pieces to the public," Jones added. "We want art to be accessible and encourage everyone to own it.”

A fun part of having a storefront is creating a specific aesthetic, one that will convey without words to customers what the shop is all about. These details mattered to Jones.

“Coming from an fine arts background I have always loved a crisp, clean, and white space so I used that as a starting point," she shared. “We also mixed in pops of color with the fixtures. All the displays were made in collaboration with Oakland based artist Kate Pruitt, my husband Collin McKelvey, and myself. Since we are all artists, we approached the space as a site for an installation that has a utilitarian purpose.”

But even more crucial to an art store is the actual art. To this, Jones finds new artists the way so many others do, through friends, friends of friends, and Instagram. She also looks to the past for inspiration.

“The gallery space of Agnes Martin at SFMOMA is special, she is such an inspiration on many levels for me." Jones admits. "I loved the exhibition of Pierre Bonnard at the Legion of Honor earlier this year, which I am still thinking about. I want to see life in those colors always. Right now there is so much happening within the arts and design that it is really hard to pinpoint some of my favorites. I think it is time where all mediums are blurred which can be an exciting.”

In keeping with its own melange of art offerings, the next project for Little Paper Planes is an in-house clothing and product line called UNIFORMA, projected to launch next year.

The shop also features a new artist each month from Minnesota Street Projects, as part of a residency program. This month showcases the work of L.A.-based artist Tom Comitta. “Currently [in the store] we are [also] featuring the LPP exclusive print series by SF-based Alyssa Block along with an interview we did with her,” Jones divulges.

While artists are migrating across the bridge, and outside of the Bay Area altogether, Jones still believes in the San Francisco art scene. “It is a vibrant and supportive community with a lot of interesting projects that happen. [But] due to the lack of space and high cost of living, [it] creates obstacles for artists to navigate their own practice.” she declared. “However, I think it creates an opportunity for people to think outside of what is easy and come up with some interesting ways of creating and showing work. There are some really great alternative art spaces here whether they are in basements, apartments, or just a one night temporary event.”

Little Paper Planes is open Monday through Saturday, 12-7pm and on Sunday from 12-6pm at 855 Valencia St.