Journey Art Supplies Blog
Tips, Tricks, Thoughts, and inspiration from across the art spectrum.
Promote ART with Heart
You know from the very early beginnings of Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff, Joe Miller’s one desire was to paint. He discovered he had a passion that was hidden inside. One that might have been there all of his life, but he put it aside to do other things.
Promote ART with Heart
You know from the very early beginnings of Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff, Joe Miller’s one desire was to paint. He discovered he had a passion that was hidden inside. One that...
Give a Little Extra, Get a Whole Lot More!
I love this time of year! I love my Christmas tree, I love the crisp, cool, winter air, and I, especially, love to bake! I have special cookie and cake recipes that I have used for years, and then I search for a few new ones to add to my collection. I begin early to store up all the baking supplies I will need until about the second weekend in December.
Give a Little Extra, Get a Whole Lot More!
I love this time of year! I love my Christmas tree, I love the crisp, cool, winter air, and I, especially, love to bake! I have special cookie and cake...
More Than Just an Employee... A Cheap Joe's Cha...
Michael White has worked with Cheap Joe's Art Stuff for over 16 years. Michael assembles our new customer gifts and also makes the protective corner pieces for our paper shipments. We are proud of all Michael's accomplishments over the years, as a long-time employee and friend of Cheap Joe's.
More Than Just an Employee... A Cheap Joe's Cha...
Michael White has worked with Cheap Joe's Art Stuff for over 16 years. Michael assembles our new customer gifts and also makes the protective corner pieces for our paper shipments....
Just Another Fall Family Tradition?
Fall color and, especially, the crisp, cool, weather will always inspire me to get outside. Fall family traditions are another great way to explore nature and gain inspirations for future paintings. I recently took a break from my artwork just long enough to find my muse in the great outdoors…
Just Another Fall Family Tradition?
Fall color and, especially, the crisp, cool, weather will always inspire me to get outside. Fall family traditions are another great way to explore nature and gain inspirations for future...
Those Guys Are Jerks!
While bellying up to the bar at the original Boone Drug Store downtown, I took a look across the counter and thought “Boy, those guys are jerks!” and well, they were, Soda Jerks from years ago! Soda jerks got their name from jerking the lever on the soda fountain while making ice cream sodas at the drugstores back in the day.
Those Guys Are Jerks!
While bellying up to the bar at the original Boone Drug Store downtown, I took a look across the counter and thought “Boy, those guys are jerks!” and well, they...
Spring is Just a Bean Away!
Well, the calendar says it’s Spring again, and after such a cold and snowy winter, I’m raring to get outside. The winter’s end, however, has been hard to predict according to mountain folklore. In the High Country, many have been “counting beans” that were collected last August to predict when to expect the last snow.
Spring is Just a Bean Away!
Well, the calendar says it’s Spring again, and after such a cold and snowy winter, I’m raring to get outside. The winter’s end, however, has been hard to predict according...
Cheap Joe's is in the House!
Cheap Joe’s is in the house, the Jones House, that is! The Cheap Joe Gallery Show at the Jones House in Boone, NC, is open from November 26- December 23. “Cheap” Joe Miller himself was invited by the Jones House Staff to host his own one man show. Obviously, not his first, however, a very notable show, none the less.
Cheap Joe's is in the House!
Cheap Joe’s is in the house, the Jones House, that is! The Cheap Joe Gallery Show at the Jones House in Boone, NC, is open from November 26- December 23. ...
When I Get A Round Tuit!
Fall is a wonderful season where the weather as well as the temperature is very unpredictable and exciting. The leaves are bursting with color, every moment is different. The slightest change in the temperature can make the reds brighter or the yellows more golden.
When I Get A Round Tuit!
Fall is a wonderful season where the weather as well as the temperature is very unpredictable and exciting. The leaves are bursting with color, every moment is different. The slightest...
S'no Day Like a Snow Day
With winter weather persistently holding on, some days can be more difficult than others to travel back and forth to work. Just last week, we had so much snow paired with high winds, that not one but two days out of the week I ended up stranded in 4-5 feet snow drifts in the middle of the road. This is the time of the year that you want to be the best of friends with your neighbors, especially the ones with tractors! With just a phone call, some minutes later, I was rescued from the volumes of the fluffy white stuff so deep iI couldn’t open my door! With a wave of his hand and a snicker, my neighbor put me on my way, and to Cheap Joe’s and beyond I went! Some days, however, I’m not so lucky, and I may unfortunately incur a snow day. A snow day can definitely have its advantages though, besides staying home in your pajamas all day, it can also be the perfect opportunity to watch dvds, scan through books, practice new techniques and have uninterrupted time to explore your creative side. I could watch daytime tv or check out the latest Netflix, but what I’m really interested in is watching painting DVDs. I just love the opportunity to learn something new. When reviewing new DVDs, I always keep a sketch pad and pencil close by to take good notes of the highlights of the lesson. I make detailed sketches and comments throughout the viewing. This exercise makes the information easier to recall when I plan my painting. I will usually go through the entire DVD and then prepare my painting area and watch it again pausing as I go so Ii can practice as the artist is demonstrating. This is very instrumental in learning difficult techniques or using new materials. There are many wonderful artists producing DVDs and books today. We are very fortunate to have these learning materials available to enhance and expand our knowledge of art and painting. Watching DVDs is a great way to get inspired to paint. Inspiration can come along in a lot of ways. It can fall out of the sky or appear out of the blue. Even my daily commute to work can be a wonderful source of inspiration. Each day brings new views, new subjects, and incredible opportunities to paint. What would seem like a monotonous drive to most, often affords me the chance to capture pictures of wonderful views that only come along once in a long while. In the winter the weather changes so dramatically sometimes it creates natural phenomena such as frozen fog. One morning not long ago, I was driving through Valle Crucis, on my way to work, and across the field to my right, I could see cows eating their morning breakfast. Not too exciting, I know, but just beyond them was a line of trees covered in frozen fog. The morning air was at just the right temperature to actually freeze the droplets of moisture suspended in the early mist that blanketed the valley. wow, what a wonderful sight. It was lucky for me that I had left a few minutes early to run an errand in town, I had just enough time to park my truck on the side of the road and capture the frosty splendor with my camera. The errand had to be delayed, but hey, opportunities like this don’t come along every day. So you have to strike when the iron is hot! You never know when you might have your next great idea for a painting. Looking around as you go about everyday chores will sometimes reveal little gems that create wonderful works of art. I would imagine that sometimes the great masters found their inspirations for their great paintings purely by accident, by wandering around or possibly while traveling to town just to get a loaf of bread. Whether its a snow day or any day, finding the time to paint is important in developing your art. And taking the time to look around may cause you to stumble on your next great discovery! Happy Snow Day!
S'no Day Like a Snow Day
With winter weather persistently holding on, some days can be more difficult than others to travel back and forth to work. Just last week, we had so much snow paired...
Young at Art
I guess I have been interested in art, in general, for as long as I can remember. At age 4, when asked what I wanted to be, I would say an artist. My parents encourage art in my life by providing me with art supplies. There’s just something about new paper and new colored pencils or paint that really gets you excited about creating
Young at Art
I guess I have been interested in art, in general, for as long as I can remember. At age 4, when asked what I wanted to be, I would say...
Apple Butter and Cat Heads
The holiday season is upon us. There are Thanksgiving turkeys to prepare and Christmas shopping at the mall. A time when family and friends are getting together to celebrate the holidays with pumpkin pies and homemade dressing, and those special recipes that are passed down from generation to generation.
Apple Butter and Cat Heads
The holiday season is upon us. There are Thanksgiving turkeys to prepare and Christmas shopping at the mall. A time when family and friends are getting together to celebrate the...
Fall Festivals Galore!
With the turning of the leaves and the dropping of the mercury comes festivals galore! This is the time of the year when people start to gather in large crowds all over the country. The month of October kicks off the holiday season with hundreds of celebrations across the nation.
Fall Festivals Galore!
With the turning of the leaves and the dropping of the mercury comes festivals galore! This is the time of the year when people start to gather in large crowds...
