Your idea sounds very good.

Other ideas are:

Buy her a portfolio to keep her artwork.

Various sized canvases.

Brushes.

Go to a local art store and you will get some ideas I think.

It depends on how much you want to spend. An interesting idea is to take her to a museum or gallery and then maybe coffee or a meal (depending on what you want to spend and if it includes time or not).

A painter will have very specific needs and wishes as to equipment. A gift certificate to an art catalog company such as Cheap Joe’s would be a very nice gift.

You mean an artist who paints, as opposed to a painter that paints houses?

A smock.

There are a couple of places around here that do art fellowships. They provide living quarters and meals and the artists just concentrate on their craft for weeks or up to a month. No distractions, they just get to be artists.

It would help to know what you want to spend. Answers vary from a minimum amount to potentially hundreds of dollars.

Here’s the name of the site for artist retreats: goldenfoundation.org. The site is changing, but I think you can get an application. Cost is on a sliding scale based on income.

I like @JLeslie ‘s suggestion. Art supplies are spendy and always appreciated.

My simple idea would have been to paint a picture of them. Who wouldn’t like something done in their honor? Lol But your idea sounds a lot better! Whatever it is, just make sure it’s something they would genuinely appreciate.(:

Art supplies would always be appreciated. What you get depends on your budget and the media she prefers to work with. Canvases if she uses oils and acrylics. A pad of quality watercolour stock if she uses watercolours. Brushes, but again be careful to get the right sort for the type of painting she does.

If you’re not sure, a sketchbook and a set of sketching pencils is useful to an artist of any medium.